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THE 

AMERICAN  BIBLE   SOCIETY 

AND 

THE   BAPTISTS; 

OR, 

THE   QUESTION  DISCUSSED, 

SHALL    THE    WHOLE    WORD    OF    GOD    BE    GIVEN    TO    THE 
HEATHEN  ? 

CONSISTING   OF    FOUR    PARTS, 

WITH  A  PREFACE.  BY  REV.  RUFUS  BABCOCK.  JR.  D.D. 

I.  The  Proceedings  of  the  American  Bible  Society  in  relation  to  the  Baptists, 
drawn  from  Otficial  Documents  by  one  of  the  Corresponding  Secretaries. 

II.  The  Circular  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  giving  their  reasons  for 
rejecting  the  Baptist  versions  of  the  Scriptures  in  India. 

III.  An  Examination  of  the  Circular. 

IV.  Appendix — A  Summary  account  of  Ancient  and  Modern  Versions  of 
Scripture,  with  reference  to  their  treatment  of  pa-rito}  and  its  Cognates. 

BY    W.    H.    WYCKOFF,    A.M. 
SECOND  EDITION,  WITH  ADDITIONS. 


N  E  W  -  Y  0  R  K  ; 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  R.  BIGELOW, 

Barker  &  Thompson,  122  N^ssau-et.  ;  American  Baptist  Puelication 

SociEiy,  Philadelphia:  Gould,  Kendall   &  Lincoln,  Boston; 

Bennett,  Backls  &.  Hawley,  Utica, 

1842. 


PREFACE . 


Is  another  publication  needed  on  this  vexed  question, — the  con^ 
troversy  between  the  American  Bible  Society  and  the  Baptists  ? 
This  will  naturally  enough  be  the  inquiry  of  friends  and  enemies — 
and  we  proceed  very  briefly  to  answer  it.  For  three  distinct  classes 
of  the  com.munity,  namely — the  advocates  of  the  Bible  Society  as 
now  conducted, — the  impartial  public, — and  the  Baptists  them- 
selves, some  farther  exliibition  of  the  principal  points  of  this  contro- 
versy is  needful. 

When  the  moments  of  excitement  incident  to  the  partizan  nature 
of  this  movement  have  passed  away  and  cool  retrospection  has  ex- 
erted its  purifying  influence,  it  can  scarce  fail  to  occasion  regret  at 
least,  that  a  large  denomination  of  Christians — the  early  and  stead- 
fast friends  of  the  Bible  cause — have  been  driven  from  the  Society 
by  a  new  and  unexpected  measure,  adapted  and  intended  to  restrain 
them  from  the  conscientious  discharge  of  an  imperative  and  most  im- 
portant duty,  or  cut  them  off  from  accustomed  participation  in  the 
benefits  of  the  Association.  If  there  be  a  tithe  of  the  genuine 
liberality  and  real  brotherliness  among  Paedo-baptists  which  is  pro- 
fessed, if  "exclusiveness,"  and  ''  barriers  to  a  more  perfect  union," 
be  aught  with  them  but  party  watch-words,  used  against  others  for 
a  sectarian   and  sinister  purpose,  then   assuredly  there  will  come  a 


3V  PREFACE. 

sponsible  for  its  continuance,  will  feel  constrained  with  anxious  soli' 
citude  to  review  the  whole  ground  of  this  procedure.  Then  at  least 
will  all  the  material  facts  in  the  case,  and  the  arguments  on  both 
sides  of  the  question  be  in  requisition  by  the  present  dominant 
party. 

The  disinterested  public  will  also  be  disposed  to  learn  something 
of  the  manner  in  which  important  trusts  of  a  very  delicate  and  sacred 
character  are  discharged  by  those  to  whose  hands  they  had  been  con- 
fided. Our  great  benevolent  institutions  are  deservedly  attracting 
a  large  share  of  public  attention,  and  they  require  to  be  watched,  if 
not  with  suspicion,  at  least  with  sleepless  vigilance.  But  they  can- 
not be  watched  without  light.  The  amplest  information  is  requisite. 
That  colossal  form  of  religious  perversion  and  despotism,  the  pon- 
tifical power  of  the  Romish  church,  grew  up  gradually,  and  from 
small  beginnings.  The  first  wrong  step  may  have  been  regarded  as 
insignificant,  certainly  not  more  alarming,  than  forbidding  to  trans- 
late a  few  words  of  the  Bible  into  the  language  of  the  people.  But 
it  went  on — and  why  should  it  not  by  the  same  principle— to  a  prac- 
tical denial  of  the  whole  word  of  God  to  the  people.  The  only  safe 
course  is,  to  resist  evil  in  the  beginning — at  the  very  threshold. 

Furthermore,  the  public  will  naturally  inquire  whether  engaging 
in  this  holy  work  has  been  productive  of  the  pure,  expansive,  unself. 
ish  spirit,  which  the  founders  of  the  American  Bible  Society  exulted 
in  contemplating  as  its  sure  result.  Whether  in  its  management,  all 
practical  measures  have  been  resorted  to,  for  prventing  a  rupture  in 
an  enterprise  which  ought  to  concentrate  upon  itself  the  love  and 
activity  of  all  who  prize  the  Bible.  They  will  wish  to  hear  the  Ma- 
nagers' defence  of  a  course  of  proceedings  so  untoward  in  its  influ- 
ence, and  they  will  also,  it  is  hoped,  evince  the  commendable  can- 
dour to  examine  that  defence,  and  adjust  its  merits  by  the  scale  of 
facts  and  sound  arguments. 

But  a  work  like  this  is  certainly  needed  among  the  Baptists  them- 


PREFACEo  V 

selves.  They  have  a  right  and  claim  to  be  put  in  possession  of  all 
the  facts  which  have  a  bearing  s:)  direct  and  extensive  on  their  own 
vital  interests.  To  a  very  wide  extent  they  yet  remain  uninformed 
on  this  subject.  This  may  seem  a  direct  contradiction  of  the  impli- 
cation by  the  Managers  in  their  sneer  at  us,  as  "  the  professed  sons 
of  peace,"  while  in  reality  engaged  in  raising  an  uncommon  amount 
of  opposition  to  them  and  their  institution.  So  far  is  this  from  be- 
ing  true,  that  instances  are  constantly  occurring,  where  decided  Bap- 
tists, unconscious  of  the  obnoxious  resolutions  which  cut  us  off  from 
an  equal  participation  in  the  society's  appropriations,  are  still  giving 
large  sums  to  its  treasur}'.* 

Under  these  circumstances,  Baptist  pastors,  not  deficient  in  zeal 
for  their  own  institutions,  have  been  so  truly  as  well  as  '"professedly 
sons  of  peace,"  as  to  have  entirely  abstained  from  all  public  exhibi- 
tion or  discussion  of  what  they  regard  as  the  flagrant  wrong  inflicted 
on  them  by  the  American  Bible  Society.  This  volume  will  therefore 
be  to  them  a  desideratum,  and  ought  to  be  circulated  so  widely  as 
to  reach  every  intelligent  family  and  individual  among  the  millions 
of  Baptists  in  this  country. 

Another  important  service  will  be  .indirectly  accomplished  by  it, 
in  assisting  to  disabuse  the  minds  of  our  neighbours  with  respect  to 
the  real  intention  and  operation  of  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society.  With  almost  unprecedented  unanimity  the  voice  of  the  de- 
nomination called  for  the   formation  of  this   institution,  when  the 

*  One  case  of  this  kind  recently  occurred  not  a  hundred  miles  from  New- 
York  city,  where  a  venerable  and  generous  Baptist  brother  gave  1000  dollars 
to  the  American  Bible  Society,  fully  supposing  that  his  own  brethren  were 
allowed  to  share,  as  formerly,  its  appropriations  in  aid  of  their  endeavours  to 
give  the  Bible  fully  and  faithfully  translated  to  heathen  nations.  He  intended 
to  follow  this  sura  with  another  of  twice  the  amount  Whether  the  3Ianagers* 
circular  has  yet  reached  him,  and  opened  his  eyes,  is  uncertain  ;  but  aesuredly 
this  volume  ought  to  be  put  into  his  hands.  Can  Baptists  be  blamed  for  thus 
protecting  their  own  interests  1 


VI  PREFACE. 

American  Bible  Society  made  itself  sectarian  by  changing  its  ori- 
ginal policy.  In  every  part  of  the  country  they  have  responded  to 
the  call  made  upon  them  to  aid  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety, to  give  the  Bible  translated  to  the  world. 

In  four  or  five  years  they  have  thus  accomplished  four  times  as 
much  for  this  great  enterprise,  as  they  had  received  from  the  Ame- 
rican Bible  Society,  during  the  whole  period  of  their  connexion  with 
It.  But  while  thus  laudably  and  with  singleness  of  purpose,  engag- 
ed in  this  great  work,  (in  order  to  accomplish  which,  be  it  remem- 
bered, they  had  been  driven  into  this  separate  organization)  they 
have  been  constantly  assailed  and  grossly  misrepresented,  as  having 
entered  into  some  foul  conspiracy  against  the  integrity  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. Thousands  of  the  less  intelligent  among  our  neighbours,  the 
Psedo-baptists,  seem  to  believe,  (it  is  presumed,  as  they  have  been 
taught  by  those  who  ought  to  know  better)  that  the  Baptists  are  en- 
deavouring to  introduce  a  new  Bible,  and  to  corrupt  the  word  of 
God.  This  volume  will  help  to  undeceive  them,  by  showing  the  ne- 
cessity laid  upon  us  for  originating  another  society. 

Having  shown  the  desirableness  of  the  present  publication,  it  only 
remains  to  consider  the  manner  in  which  the  service  of  preparing  it 
has  been  performed.  This  volume  will  be  found  to  combine  the  fol- 
lowing excellencies : 

1.  It  presents  in  a  convenient  and  cheap  form  for  easy  reference  and 
wide  distribution,  all  the  material  facts  and  arguments  in  this  contro- 
versy ;  not  garbled  and  misrepresented,  but  official  and  unmutilated. 
The  commendable  candour  of  furnishing  entire  the  defence  put  forth 
by  the  American  Bible  Society's  Managers,  furnishes  an  example 
which  ought  to  be  imitated  on  the  other  side. 

2.  The  examination  of  this  defence,  while  thorough,  searching 
and  conclusive,  is  throughout  conducted  with  a  decorum  and  Christian 
urbanity  that  cannot  fail  to  produce  a  hapj»y  effect  on  the  reader. 
In  this  respect  it   may  be  regarded  as  an   uncommonly  faultless 


PREFACE.  Vll 

specimen  of  the  proper  manner    of  conducting  a  religious  contro- 
versy. 

3.  The  learned  reader  will  find  in  the  Appendix  an  array  of  facts 
from  unquestionable  sources  which  will  greatly  facilitate  the  wise, 
faithful,  and  we  hope,  speedy  adjustment  of  this  controversy.  Had 
the  facts  there  imbodied  been  present  to  the  minds  of  the  Managers, 
could  they  in  183G  have  passed  these  restrictive  resolutions,  and  in 
1841,  attempted  to  defend  them?  We  commend  the  Appendix  as 
well  as  the  examination  of  their  defence,  to  the  special  consideration 
of  the  Managers. 

4.  It  may  be  reasonably  hoped,  that  so  far  as  controversy  is  con- 
cerned, this  volume  will  be  final.  The  Managers  have  chosen  their 
own  ground,  after  a  long  time  for  preparation ;  and  their  full  defence 
is  here  given  to  those  who  have  not  before  had  opportunity  to  read 
it,  acconipanied  with  such  a  rejoinder  as  will  probably  satisfy  those 
whom  it  defends.  May  it  not  be  reasonably  hoped  that  strife  and 
contention  v/ill  henceforth  cease  ?  That  both  parties  in  this  contro- 
versy will  turn  their  thoughts  to  some  feasible  plan  of  adjusting  this 
painful  difiiculty  ?  Or  if  that  cannot  be  secured,  that  like  Abraham 
and  Lot,  with  their  respective  servants,  the  two  institutions  may 
henceforth  choose  their  respective  spheres,  and  prosecute  their  high 
purposes  with  no  strife  between  them. 

R.  B. 

Potighlceepsie,  2d  October,  1841. 


Note. — A  portion  of  the  Third  Part  of  this  volume  has  been  published  in 
consecutive  numbers  of  the  periodical  edited  by  the  author.  This  circum- 
stance is  mentioned  to  account  for  peculiarities  of  phraseology,  which  may  be 
deemed  more  suitable  to  a  periodical  than  to  a  book.  We  would  also  mention 
thai  we  are  indebted  to  Jlr.  John  F.  Trow,  Printer,  of  this  ci;y,  for  the  Syrir.c' 
Arabic,  Persic  and  Ethiopic  type  used  in  the  Appendix. 


*.^ 


THE 

AMERICAN  BIBLE   SOCIETY 

AND 

THE    BAPTISTS. 


The  following  brief  sketch  of  the  proceedings 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  American  Bible 
Society,  relative  to  the  Baptist  versions  of  the  Scrip- 
tures in  Asia,  may  be  regarded  as  official.  It  was 
prepared  by  the  Rev.  Spencer  H.  Cone,  who  at 
the  time  was  one  of  the  Corresponding  Secretaries 
of  the  Institution,  and  the  documents  which  it  em- 
braces were  copied  from  the  records  of  the  Society. 

PROCEEDINGS,  &c. 

Am.  Bib.  Society's  House,  New-York,  Aug.  6tli,  1835, 

At  the  regular  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers, Mr.  Brighara  presented  a  letter  from  F.  A. 
Packard,  dated  Philadelphia,  July  28,  1835,  send- 
ing an  extract  from  a  letter  addressed  to  him  by 
Mr.  Pearce,  of  Calcutta,  Baptist  Missionary,  asking 
whether  aid  could  be  had  from  the  American  Bible 
Society,  in  printing  the  Bengalee  Scriptures,  trans- 


10  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETT 

lated  on  the  principle  adopted  by  the  American 
Baptist  Missionaries  in  Burmah. 

The  letter  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  dis- 
tribution. 

Bible  Society's  House,  September  3,  1835. 

The  Committee  on  distribution  reported  the  fol- 
lowing resolution,  as  the  result  of  their  deliberations 
upon  the  subject  referred  to  them  at  the  last  meeting 
of  the  Board,  viz : 

"  Resolved^  That  the  Committee  do  not  deem  it 
expedient  to  recommend  an  appropriation,  until  the 
Board  settle  a  principle  in  relation  to  the  translation 
of  the  Greek  word  Baptizo^ 

After  discussion,  the  resolution  was  passed,  and 
the  subject  referred  to  a  special  committee  of  seven, 
one  from  each  denomination  represented  in  the 
Board  of  Managers,  viz  : 

THOMAS  MACAULEY,  Chairman. 
Spekcer  H.  Cone,  Francis  Hall, 

James  Milnor,  Wm.  H.  Van  Vleck, 

Thos.  Dewitt,  Thomas  Cock. 

Bible  Society's  House,  October  1,  1835. 

The  Special  Committee  presented  the  following 
Report : 

The  Committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  report 
of  the  Distributing  Committee  on  the  application  of 
Messrs.  Pearce  and  Yates,  of  Calcutta,  for  aid  to 
print  the  New  Testament  in  the  Bengalee  language, 
beg  leave  to  report,  that  they  have  attended  to  the 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  U 

important  subject  committed  to  them,  and  tliat  in 
the  investigation  of  it,  the  following  facts  have  come 
before  them. 

1.  The  Rev.  Messrs.  Pearce  and  Yates,  Baptist 
Missionaries  in  or  near  Calcutta,  have  made  appli- 
cation to  this  Board,  for  aid  in  publishing  the  New 
Testament  in  the  Bengalee  language,  in  which  ver- 
sion the  Greek  words  BajJtizo,  Baptisma^  and  their 
cognates,  are  translated  by  words  signifying  im- 
merse^  bnmersion,  6cc. 

2.  In  the  Burmese  version  of  the  New  Testament, 
and  in  other  versions  in  the  lano^uao^es  and  dialects 
of  India,  these  words  are  translated  in  like  man- 
ner. 

3.  Application  has  been  made  to  the  Calcutta 
Bible  Society,  and  to  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  for  aid  to  print  and  circulate  the  Bengalee 
New  Testament,  translated  as  aforesaid,  which  aid 
has  been  refused  on  the  ground  of  its  containino- 
said  translations ;  and 

4.  Your  Committee  were  not  aware  until  now, 
that  such  translations  were  made  and  appro ^^ed  by 
any  denomination  of  Christians  in  India,  or  other 
heathen  countries. 

Your  Committee  would  therefore  most  respect- 
fully submit,  whether  it  is  not  highly  inexpedient  to 
aid  in  printing  or  circulating  any  version  of  the 
Scriptures  containing  the  above  or  any  similar 
translations,  differing  from  the  sense  of  the  autho- 
rized versions,  for  the  following  reasons  : 

h  The  words  Baptizo  and  Baptisma,  and  their 


12  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETr 

cognates,  being  left  untranslated,  as  in  the  English 
and  many  other  excellent  versions,  imposes  no  dif- 
ficulty on  any  denomination  of  Christians,  as  it 
leaves  every  minister,  or  missionary,  at  perfect  li- 
berty to  explain  them  according  to  the  peculiar 
views  of  his  particular  denommation. 

2.  The  words  Bajjtizo,  Baj^tisrna^  (fee,  being 
translated  immerse^  immersion^  &c.,  will  necessa- 
rily embarrass,  if  not  wholly  exclude  the  operations 
of  Missionaries  of  the  Methodist,  Moravian,  Re- 
formed Dutch,  Episcopalian,  Presbyterian,  Congre- 
gational, or  other  Christian  denominations,  who 
may  endeavour  to  propagate  the  gospel  in  India,  or 
where  the  said  translation  may  obtain.     And 

3.  It  is  not  competent  for  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety to  assume  any  sectarian  attitude  by  favouring 
the  denominational  views  of  any  particular  church 
either  at  home  or  abroad. 

With  these  views  of  the  subject,  your  Committee 
most  respectfully  submit  the  following  resolutions : 

1.  Resolved^  That  the  Board  of  Managers  deem 
it  inexpedient  to  appropriate  any  funds  belonging  to 
the  Society,  in  aid  of  translating  or  distributing  the 
aforesaid  Bengalee  New  Testament,  or  any  other 
version  containing  the  aforesaid  translations,  or  any 
similar  translations. 

2.  Resolved^  That  the  Board  of  Managers  on  re- 
ceiving satisfactory  evidence  of  such  corrections 
having  been  made  in  the  aforesaid  translation  of  the 
Bengalee  New  Testament,  or  other  versions  in  other 
languages,  or  dialects,  as  will  comport  with  the 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  13 

known  views  of  other  Christian  denominations  ;  or, 
in  other  words,  with  the  obvious  intention  of  the  au- 
thorized English  version,  will  most  cheerfully  aid 
in  the  printing  and  circulation  of  said  version  or 
versions  as  heretofore. 

3.  Resolved^  That  all  persons  interested  in  the 
foregoing  resolutions  be  informed  of  their  purport 
forthwith. 

All  which  is  most  respectfully  submitted. 

THOMAS  MACAULEY,  Chairman. 
James  Milnor,  Thomas  Dewitt, 

Thomas  Cock,  Francis  Hall. 

W.  H.  Ya^n  Vleck. 


COUNTER  REPORT. 

The  Committee  to  whom,  was  referred  the  appli- 
cation of  Messrs.  Pearce  and  Yates,  of  Calcutta,  for 
aid  to  print  and  circulate  the  New  Testament  in  the 
Bengalee  language,  have  not  been  so  happy  as  to 
unite  in  their  views  upon  the  subject ;  and  the  sub- 
scriber deems  it  a  duty  he  owes  both  to  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society,  and  to  the  Baptist  denomination, 
briefly  to  state  some  of  the  considerations  which 
have  constrained  him  to  dissent  from  the  report  pre- 
sented by  the  majority  of  the  Committee. 

At  the  anniversary  in  May,  1834,  the  American 
Bible  Society  resolved  to  distribute  the  Bible  among 
all  the  accessible  population  of  the  globe,  within 
the  shortest  practicable  period  ;  and  by  direction  of 
the  Board  of  Managers,  a  circular  was  addressed  to 


14  AMERICAX    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

missionaries  and  missionary  societies  of  different  re- 
ligious denominations,  encouraging  them  to  expect, 
that  whenever  the  Old  Testament  or  the  New.  or 
any  one  entire  Gospel  or  other  hoolc  of  the  Bible, 
should  be  correctly  translated  and  ready  (without 
note  or  comment)  for  the  press,  they  should  receive 
the  aid  requisite  for  the  publication  of  the  same. 
The  application  of  Messrs.  Pearce  and  Yates  is  but 
a  response  to  this  circular,  and  it  is  manifestly  un- 
just to  refuse  their  request,  on  the  ground  of  their 
having  rendered  the  words  Baptizo,  Baptisma, 
and  their  cognates,  by  words  signifying  Immerse^ 
Immersion,  d^^c,  until  it  is  frst  proved  that  the 
translations  are  unfaithful  and  inaccurate;  and 
this  it  is  confidently  believed  never  can  be  done. 

When  missionaries  are  sent  among  the  heathen^ 
It  is  that  they  may  make  themselves  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  their  language,  and  with  as  little  de- 
lay as  possible,  give  them  the  Bible  in  appropriate 
vernacular  terms,  that  they  may  read  in  their  own 
toyigue  icherein  they  icere  horn^  the  iconderful  works 
of  God.  They  must  neither  obscure,  nor  take  from, 
nor  add  to,  the  words  of  the  Holy  Book.  The 
question,  therefore,  is  most  respectfully  submitted, 
whether  it  is  competent  for  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety to  control  the  consciences  of  well  qualified 
evangelical  missionaries  in  this  matter,  and  decide 
v)hat  words  they  shall  transfer^  and  what  words 
they  may  translate. 

It  is  conceived  that  the  p>rincij)le  reported  by  the 
majority  of  the  Committee  on  this  point,  is  radically 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  15 

wrong  ;  if  so,  the  Board  of  Managers  have  no  right 
to  forbid  the  translation  of  Baptizo,  or  of  any  other 
loordj  the  meaning  of  which  is  satisfactorily  ascer- 
tained ;  but  if  the  principle  objected  to  be  correct, 
then  their  authoritative  dictation  may  embrace 
whatever  words  to  them  shall  seem  good ;  and  the 
missionary  hereafter  in  the  work  of  translation, 
instead  of  making  it  his  single  aim  to  please  God, 
must  consult  primarily  the  views  and  wishes  of 
earthly  patrons. 

It  is  a  source  of  deep  regret  that  the  pervading 
sentiment  of  the  report  of  the  majority,  appears  to 
be  so  entirely  inconsistent  with  the  .spirit  of  bene- 
volence and  brotherly  kindness  which  first  called 
into  existence  the  American  Bible  Society.  Seven 
or  eight  different  denominations  of  Christians  asso- 
ciated themselves  together  for  the  purpose  of  supply- 
ing not  only  their  own  land  with  the  Scriptures, 
but  of  extending  their  influence  to  other  countries 
whether  Christian,  Mahommedan  or  Pagan.  In 
the  prosecution  of  their  common  object,  no  one  of 
the  constituent  members  was  either  required  or  ex- 
pected to  abandon  his  own  peculiar  tenets.  Bap- 
tists were  received  as  Baptists,  and  as  sach  have 
laboured  with  you  from  the  beginning. 

Must  it  not  occasion  surprise  as  well  as  grief  that 
now,  after  an  harmonious  co-operation  in  the  Bible 
cause  of  more  than  eighteen  years,  it  is  proposed  to 
pass  the  sweeping  uncompromising  resolution,  '•  that 
it  is  inexpedient  to  appropriate  any  funds  belong- 
ing to  the  Sooiety  in  aid  of  translating  or  distri- 


16  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

biiting  any  versions  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures 
as  now  made  by  the  Baptist  Missionaries.^^  Are 
we  by  this  single  vote  to  be  cut  off  for  ever  from 
all  participation  in  your  funds,  a  large  portion 
of  which  has  accrued  from  the  subscriptions  and  li- 
beral bequests  of  our  denomination  ?  And  are 
Baptist  missionaries  of  all  others  to  be  singled  out 
as  unworthy  to  share  in  the  labours  and  successes 
of  the  American  Bible  Society  in  her  noble  enter- 
prise to  supply  the  world  with  Bibles  ?  And  are 
we  to  be  told  in  so  many  words,  that  the  only  con- 
dition upon  which  you  can  countenance  our  efforts 
is  the  preparation  of  such  versions  as  w411  comport 
with  the  known  views  of  other  Christian  denomi- 
nations ?  a  condition  which  involves  in  it  the  im- 
practicable alternative  of  forbearing  to  do  that  which 
in  our  hearts  we  believe  God  has  required  at  our 
hands. 

The  idea  suggested  that  versions  to  be  approved 
must  not  materially  differ  from  the  ^^  sense  of  the 
authorized  English  version^''  is  most  strange.  We 
have  been  taught  to  believe  that  the  sense  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  to  be  invariably  and  most  critically 
preserved.  The  sentiment  may  be  very  gratifying 
in  its  adaptation  to  a  special  case,  but  the  majority 
of  the  Committee  would  scarcely  advocate  it,  as  a 
general  principle  applicable  to  Biblical  translations. 
The  man  who  should  translate  meta  to  pascha. 
Acts  xii.  4,  by  a  phrase  signifying  after  Easter, 
would  give  the  sense  of  the  English  version ;  but, 
alas !  he  would  not  convey  the  sense  of  the  Spirit 
of  inspiration. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  17 

The  words  Baptizo^  (fcc,  have  been  rendered  by 
words  signifying  to  Immerse^  (fcc,  in  the  Syriac. 
Arabic,  Abyssinian,  Egyptian.  Ethiopic,  Coptic, 
German,  Dutch,  Danish,  and  many  other  languages. 
Is  it  just,  is  it  fair  then,  to  stigmatize  our  transla- 
tions as  sectarian^  when  similar  translations  have 
been  long  in  use  in  almost  all  the  churches  of  the 
Eastern  world,  and  in  most  of  the  churches  of 
Northern  Europe  ?  The  American  Bible  Society 
has  circulated  many  copies  of  the  Bible  "  containing 
the  aforesaid  translations  ;"  she  has  circulated  many 
more  in  the  versions  of  Roman  Catholic  Priests. 
She  has  voted  within  two  years  past  a  larger  sum 
for  the  Chinese  Scriptures,  than  for  any  other  fo- 
reign object,  and  yet  Dr.  Morrison  has  neither 
transferred  BajHizo  nor  translated  it,  but  has  in- 
troduced into  his  Chinese  version  a  paraphrase  sig- 
nifying "  a  water  Ceremony.'  * 

In  connexion  with  these  facts  let  it  be  remember- 
ed, that  the  American  Christian  pubUc  expect  us 
speedily  to  send  the  Bible  throughout  the  earth  ; 
that  they  are  generously  furnishing  us  with  the 
means  to  accomplish  this  desirable  object !  that  our 
Treasury  is  overflowing,  and  the  managers  are  at  a 
loss  to  know  how  their  surplus  funds  may  be  wisely 
and  beneficially  expended  ;  that  the  Baptist  mission- 
aries have  translated  the  Scriptures  into  the  lan- 

*  In  a  letter,  received  since  the  presentation  of  this  Counter  Re- 
port, from  Mr.  Dyer,  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  English  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society,  he  says,  "  I  have  understood  that  Dr.  Mor- 
rison has  rendered  ^a^^i;::*?  by  a  word  signifying  to  tvet,  to  moisten,^'' 


18  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

giiages  of  India,  as  well  as  of  other  Asiatic  nations  ; 
that  to  refuse  them  aid,  will  at  least  be  greatly  to 
retard,  if  not  to  render  inipracticahle  for  a  long 
time  to  come,  the  supply  of  the  reading  popidation 
of  the  Globe  with  the  loritten  word!  and,  oh  !  let 
it  not  be  forgotten,  that  millions  of  our  fellow  men 
are  perishing  for  the  bread  of  life,  and  stretching 
out  their  hands,  are  crying,  "  Come  over  and  help 
us  !"  In  view  of  these  facts  let  it  be  asked,  is  this 
the  time,  and  are  these  the  circumstances,  which 
the  Board  will  choose,  to  announce  to  the  Saints  of 
the  Most  High  their  rejection  of  the  application  of 
those  men  of  God,  who  for  more  than  twenty  years 
under  the  burning  rays  of  an  Indian  sun,  have  been 
praying,  and  toiling,  and  agonizing,  for  the  souls  of 
men?  we  hope  not;  and  under  the  influence  of 
this  hope,  venture  to  propose  the  following  resolu- 
tions, viz : 

1.  Resolved,  That  this  Board  is  impressed  with 
feelings  of  devout  gratitude  to  Almighty  God,  for  the 
signal  protection  he  has  aftbrded  to  Baptist  mission- 
aries in  heathen  lands,  and  for  the  ability  given 
them  to  translate  the  Bible  into  the  living  languages 
of  so  large  a  portion  of  the  human  family 

2.  As  satisfactory  evidence  has  been  furnished 
from  the  principal  professors  in  the  College  of  Fort 
William,  India,  and  from  the  most  learned  Pundits 
and  Teachers  in  Calcutta  and  its  vicinity,  that  the 
improved  version  of  the  Bengalee  New  Testament 
by  Messrs.  Pearce  and  Yates,  Baptist  missionaries, 
is  by  far  the  most  inteUigible,  idiomatic,  and  perfect 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  19 

translatioiij  which  has  yet  appeared  in  that  dialect; 
therfore, 

Resolved^  That  the  sum  of  §  be  appropri- 

ated and  paid  to  the  Baptist  Genera]  Convention  of 
the  United  States  for  Foreign  Missions,  to  aid  in 
printing  and  circulating  the  Sacred  Scriptures  in 
the  Bengalee  language. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Spencer  H.  Cone. 

Society's  House,  November  5,  1835. 

The  Board  proceeded  to  consider  the  reports  of 
the  Committee  presented  at  the  last  meeting. 

Mr.  Brigham  read  a  letter  from  Dr.  Wayland, 
dated  Providence,  October  26,  1835,  submitting  a 
resolution ;  Dr.  Milnor  also  presented  a  series  of 
resolutions.  After  some  discussion,  the  letter  of 
Dr.  Wayland,  the  resolutions  of  Dr.  Milnor,  and  the 
original  reports,  were  all  referred  back  to  the  same 
Committee  for  further  consideration  and  report. 

Society's  House,  November  19,  1835. 

The  following  Report  and  Counter  Report  were 
presented : 

The  Committee  to  whom  was  recommitted  the 
determining  of  a  principle  upon  which  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society  will  aid  in  printing  and  distri- 
buting the  Bible  in  foreign  languages,  beg  leave  to 
report : 

That  they  are  of  the  opinion,  that  it  is  expedient 
to  withdraw  their  former  report  on  the  i)articidar 


20  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

case^  and  to  present  the  following  one  on  the  gene- 
ral principle. 

By  the  constitution  of  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety, its  Managers  are,  in  the  circulating:  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  restricted  to  such  copies  as  are 
without  note  or  comment,  and  in  the  English  lan- 
guage, to  the  version  in  common  use.  The  design 
of  these  restrictions  clearly  seems  to  have  been  to 
simplify  and  mark  out  the  duties  of  the  Society ; 
so  that  all  the  religious  denominations,  of  w^hich  it 
is  composed,  might  harmoniously  unite  in  perform- 
ing those  duties. 

As  the  Managers  are  now  called  to  aid  extensive- 
ly in  circulating  the  Sacred  Scriptures  in  languages 
other  than  the  English,  they  deem  it  their  duty,  in 
conformity  with  the  obvious  spirit  of  their  compact, 
to  adopt  the  following  resolution  as  the  rule  of  their 
conduct  in  making  appropriations  for  the  circula- 
tion of  the  Scriptures  in  all  foreign  tongues. 

1.  Resolved^  That  in  appropriating  money  for 
the  translating,  printing,  or  distributing,  of  the  Sa- 
cred Scriptures  in  foreign  languages,  the  Managers 
feel  at  liberty  to  encourage  only  such  versions  as 
conform  in  the  principle  of  their  translation  to  the 
conwnon  English  version  ;  at  least  so  far  as  that 
all  the  religious  denominations  represented  in  this 
Society,  can  consistently  use  and  circulate  said  ver- 
sions in  their  several  schools  and  communities. 

2.  Resolved^  That  a  copy  of  the  above  preamble 
and  resolution  be  sent  to  each  of  the  Missionary 
Boards  accustomed  to  receive  pecuniary  grants  from 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  21 

the  Society,  with  a  request  that  the  same  may  be 
transmitted  to  their  respective  Mission  stations, 
where  the  Scriptures  are  in  process  of  translation  ; 
and  also  that  the  said  several  Mission  Boards  be  in- 
formed that  their  application  for  aid  must  be  ac- 
companied with  a  declaration  that  the  versions 
which  they  propose  to  circulate,  are  executed  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  above  resolution. 

THOMAS  MACAULEY,   Chairman. 
James  Milnor,  Wm.  H.  Van  Vlecx?, 

Thomas  Dewitt,  Fuaxcis  Hall, 

Thomas  Cock. 


COUNTER  REPORT. 

The  subscriber  as  a  member  of  the  Committee  to 
whom  was  referred  the  application  of  Messrs. 
Pearce  and  Yates  for  aid  in  the  circulation  of  the 
Bengalee  New  Testament,  begs  leave  to  submit  the 
following  considerations : 

1.  The  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  have 
not  been  under  the  impression  that  the  American 
Bible  Society  was  organized  upon  the  neutral  prin- 
ciple that  Bapiizo  and  its  cognates  were  never  to  be 
translated,  but  always  transferred,  in  all  versions  of 
the  Scriptures  patronized  by  them.  Had  this  prin- 
ciple been  candidly  stated  and  unifoniily  acted  upon 
by  the  Society  in  the  appropriation  of  its  funds  for 
foreign  distribution,  the  Baptists  never  could  have 
been  guilty  of  the  folly  or  duplicity  of  soliciting  aid 
for  translations  made  by  their  missionaries* 
3 


22  AMERICAN    BIBLE    S0C7ETT 

2.  As  there  is  now  a  large  balance  in  the  treasnry 
of  the  American  Bible  Society,  as  many  liberal  be- 
quests and  donations  have  been  made  by  Baptists, 
and  as  these  were  made  in  the  full  confidence  that 
the  Society  could  constitutionally  assist  their  own 
denomination,  as  well  as  the  other  evangelical  deno- 
minations composing  the  National  Institution,  in 
giving  the  Bible  to  the  heathen  world  ;  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  $  be  appropriated  and  paid 

to  the  Baptist  General  Convention  of  the  United 
States  for  Foreign  Missions,  to  aid  them  in  the  work 
of  supplying  the  perishing  millions  of  the  East  with 
the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

Spencer  H.  Cone. 

After  debate,  the  further  consideration  of  the  sub- 
ject was  postponed  to  the  next  regular  meeting  of 
the  Board. 

Society's  House,  December  3,  1835. 

The  Board  proceeded  to  consider  the  first  resolu- 
tion reported  by  the  Committee  ;  a  motion  to  lay  the 
resolution  on  the  table  having  prevailed,  the  Hon. 
William  Jay  submitted  resolutions  proposing  to  give 
the  subject  to  a  new  Committee.  After  a  long  and 
animated  discussion,  the  whole  subject  was  laid 
upon  the  table. 

Society's  House,  Febniary  4,  1836. 

The  Report  of  the  Committee  presented  Novem- 
ber 19,  1835,  was  taken  up,  and  after  debating  the 
first  resolution,  the  Board  adjourned  to  February  17, 
1836.  at  four  o'clock,  P.M. 


XND    THE    BAPTISTS.  23 

Society's  House,  February  17,  183G. 

The  Board  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

The  Report  of  the  Committee,  submitted  to  the 
Board  November  19,  1835,  was  again  discussed  at 
great  length.  Motions  to  lay  it  upon  the  table,  to 
raise  a  new  committee,  and  to  postpone  indefinitely, 
having  been  successively  lost,  the  report  was 

FINALLY     PASSED     BY    A     VOTE      OF     THIRTY     TO 

FOURTEEN  ;  and  the  Board  adjourned. 


The  following  address  was  designed  not  only  to 
present  the  leading  arguments  employed  by  the 
writer,  during  the  discussion  of  the  Bihle  Question 
in  the  Board  of  the  American  Bible  Society;  but  also 
to  elicit  the  views  of  distinguished  brethren  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  United  States,  as  to  the  course  we 
ought  to  pursue,  should  the  American  Bible  Society, 
at  its  approaching  anniversary,  confirm  the  vote  of 
the  Board  of  Managers  of  Feb.  17th,  1S36.  The 
latter  object  was  eminently  attained,  and  conduced 
not  a  little  to  the  incipient  organization  of  the  Ame- 
rican AND  Foreign  Bible  Society  on  the  13th 
of  May,  1836. 

To  the   General   Convention  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in  the 
United  States  for  Foreign  Missions. 

Dear  Brethren, 

The  deep  interest  so  generally  felt  in  the  be- 
nevolent design  of  giving  to  the  destitute  families  of 
the  earth,  in  the  shortest  jnacticahle  j^eriod,  the 
pure  and  unadulterated  word  of  God,  and  the  official 


24  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

relationship  I  have  the  honour  to  sustain  to  the 
Convention,  have  rendered  the  present  address  in- 
dispensable. 

Since  our  meeting  in  Richmond,  the  Board  of  Ma- 
nagers of  the  American  Bible  Society  have  settled  a 
'principle  by  which  to  be  governed  in  all  future  ap- 
propriations for  Scriptures  in  Foreign  Tongues, 
and  the  historical  sketch  given  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  Board  in  reference  to  this  subject,  clearly  evinces 
its  difficulty  and  importance.  It  was  fully,  freely, 
and  repeatedly  discussed,  and  was  finally  carried  by 
a  large  majority.  This  decision  therefore  is  to  be 
considered  as  of  no  doubtful  character,  but  as  most 
deliberate  and  determinate ;  and  its  practical  effect 
will  be  to  deprive  the  Baptists  of  all  participation  in 
the  funds  of  the  National  Institution,  so  far  as  the 
printing  and  distribution  of  the  versions  of  our 
Missionaries  are  concerned. 

The  Baptist  members  of  the  Board  of  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society,  are  not  chargeable  with  having 
provoked  this  painful  result ;  but  on  the  contrary, 
are  conscious  of  having  done  every  thing  in  their 
power  to  prevent  it.  They  deprecated  the  adoption 
of  the  principle  in  question,  and  strenuously  oppo- 
posed  it  as  unconstitutional,  unscriptural,  impracti- 
cable, and  unjust. 

The  Constitidion  does  indeed  restrict  the  circu- 
lation of  the  Scriptures  in  the  English  Language 
to  the  version  now  in  common  use,  but  at  the  same 
time  proposes  to  extend  its  influence  to  Foreign 
Lands,  without  any  such  restriction.  That  this  is 
the  true  construction,  is  proved  by  the  letter  and  spi- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  25 

rit  of  the  original  address  to  tiie  people  of  the  United 
States,  presented  by  the  Convention  which  formed 
the  American  Bible  Society.  Speaking  of  the  So- 
ciety, they  say — "  Its  members  are  leagued  in  that, 
and  in  that  alone,  which  calls  up  every  hallowed, 
and  puts  down  every  unhallowed,  principle — the 
dissemination  of  the  ^'criptiires  in  the  received  ver- 
sions where  they  exists  and  in  the  most  faithful 
where  they  are  required.  They  will  embrace  with 
thankfulness  and  pleasure  every  opportunity  of  ray- 
ing out,  by  the  means  of  the  Bible,  according  to  their 
ability,  the  light  of  life  and  immortality,  to  such  parts 
of  the  world  as  are  destitute  of  the  blessing,  and  are 
v/ithin  their  reach.  In  this  high  vocation  their  am- 
bition is  to  be  fellow- v.^orkers  with  them  who  are 
fellow- workers  with  God."  Before  {his  address  was 
published,  the  Bengalee  New  Testament  had  passed 
through  five  editions,  and  v/as  in  the  hands  of  thou- 
sands of  the  inhabitants  of  India ;  it  was  the  re- 
ceived version.  And  as  to  the  Burmans  ;  have  they 
not  required  the  Bible  7  And  where  can  a  more 
faithful  translation  be  found,  than  the  one  made  bV" 
brother  Judson  ?  Can  it  be  a  mistake  tlien  to  call 
that  Resolution  unconstitutional^  which  withholds 
the  aid  of  the  American  Bible  Society  from  the  print- 
ing and  distributing  of  these  versions? 

The  Rule  imposed  upon  Missionaries  in  the 
solemn  and  arduous  work  of  translation,  has  been 
designated  as  unsound  and  iinscriptural.  It  con- 
fines the  patronage  of  the  Society  to  such  versions 
only  as  conform  in  the  principle  of  their  transla- 
3* 


26  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

Hon  to  the  common  English  version ;  a  version 
made  by  Psedobaptists.  and  which,  in  many  particu- 
lars, has  been  shown  to  be  inaccurate. 

Your  Board  of  Missions,  at  the  annual  meeting 
held  in  Salem,  April,  1833,  unanimously  passed  the 
following  Resolutions,  viz. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Board  feel  it  to  be  their  duty 
to  adopt  all  prudent  measures  to  give  to  the  Heathen 
the  pure  word  of  God  in  their  own  languages  ;  and 
to  furnish  their  Missionaries  with  all  the  means  in 
their  power,  to  make  their  translations  as  exact  a 
representation  of  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as 
may  be  possible. 

"  Resolved  J  That  all  the  Missionaries  of  the 
Board;  who  are,  or  who  shall  be,  engaged  in  trans- 
lating the  Scriptures,  be  instructed  to  endeavour,  by 
earnest  prayer  and  diligent  study,  to  ascertain  the 
precise  meaning  of  the  original  text ;  to  express  that 
meaning  as  exactly  as  the  nature  of  the  languages, 
into  which  they  shall  translate  the  Bible,  will  permit, 
and  to  transfer  no  words,  which  are  capable  of 
being  literally  translated^ 

These  Resolutions  express  the  sentiments  of  our 
denomination,  and  are  strictly  conformed  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  sound  criticism  and  Christian  duty.  They 
direct  the  translator  of  God's  Word  to  search  dili- 
gently after  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  untrammelled  by 
the  will  of  man  ;  and  any  Rule  which  prescribes  a 
contrary  principle,  is  certainly  unscriptural. 

For  many  years  I  have  laboured  with  great  plea- 
sure in  connexion  with  the  American  Bible  Society, 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  27 

and  will  yield  to  none  in  the  honest  and  ardent  at- 
tachment uniformly  felt  for  its  interests.  A  kindred 
sentiment  has  been  cherished  by  the  denomination  ; 
and  while  the  Friends,  the  Methodists,  and  the  Epis- 
copalians, have  organized  Bible  Societies  of  their 
own,  the  Baptists  have  adhered  to  the  National  In- 
stitution. We  loved  it  because,  in  the  eloquent  lan- 
guage of  its  founders,  "  all  voices,  and  affections, 
and  hands,  were  joined  in  the  grand  design,  of  pro- 
moting peace  on  earth  and  good  will  towards  men 
— of  resisting  the  advance  of  misery — of  carrying 
the  light  of  instruction  into  the  dominions  of  igno- 
rance, and  the  balm  of  joy  to  the  soul  of  anguish  ; 
and  all  this  by  diffusing  the  oracles  of  God  !"  We 
have  seen  that  in  this  work  "  whatever  is  dignified, 
kind,  venerable,  true,  has  had  ample  scope ;  while 
sectarian  littleness  and  rivalries  could  find  no  ave- 
nue of  admission." 

Such  language  once  appropriately  described  the 
operations  of  the  American  Bible  Society.  To  the 
Baptists,  liberal  and  impartial  aid,  in  that  field  of 
foreign  distribution  which  Divine  providence  had  so 
evidently  assigned  them,  was  cheerfully  awarded  ; 
patronage  was  promptly  afforded  to  received  ver- 
sions where  they  existed^  and  to  the  most  faithful 
where  they  were  required  ;  and  all  responsibility 
touching  the  accuracy  of  translations  was  left, 
where  it  ought  to  he  left^  with  the  Translator  and 
the  Denomination  sustaining  him.  Whether  it  was 
so  understood,  or  not,  it  is  nevertheless  a  fact,  that  in 
all  the  appropriations  hitherto  made  for  the  printing 


28  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

and  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  among  the  Hea- 
then, the  Board  of  the  American  Bible  Society  has 
acted  upon  this  jjriiiciple  ;  and  harmony,  and  use- 
fulness, and  still  increasing  success,  have  been  its 
precious  fruits.  A  different  principle  has  now  been 
adopted,  and  the  possibility  of  conducting  the  affairs 
of  the  Society  in  accordance  with  its  requirements, 
has  been  denied.  This  appears  to  be  so  obvious  as 
to  require  little  proof  Many  of  the  Bibles  now  daily 
distributed,  are  not  conformed^  in  the  principle  of 
their  translation,  to  the  English  version  ;  a  certifi- 
cate of  the  conformity  of  others  cannot  be  furnished 
for  a  great  while  to  come  ;  and  to  the  Chinese  ver- 
sion, as  at  present  advised,  the  Baptists  must  object; 
it  cannot  he  consistently  used  in  their  schools  and 
communities.  The  Rule  therefore,  is  utterly  im- 
jtracticahle^  and  it  will  soon  be  seen  that  both  in  its 
letter  and  spirit,  it  must  of  necessity  be  frequently 
violated. 

The  injustice  of  the  measure,  is  one  of  its  most 
objectionable  features.  The  Resolution  professes  to 
be  founded  upon  the  general  j)rinciple  ;  but  in  prac- 
tice we  think,  it  will  affect  only  the  particular  case. 
Roman  Catholic  versions  will  continue  to  be  circu- 
lated, although  they  contain  the  perversions  which 
distinguish  that  sect  from  all  evangelical  Christians  ; 
and  in  modern  translations,  no  matter  how  strong 
the  denominational  spirit  with  which  they  may  be 
imbued,  the  Board,  not  possessing  the  miraculous 
gift  of  tongues,  can  take  no  cognizance  of  their  pe- 
culiarities.    Under  this  new  Rule  then,  it  is  appre- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  29 

hended,  one  only  question  icill  ever  he  asked,  and 
this  will  be  the  sine  qua  non — "  Is  Baptizo  trans- 
lated?"' 

To  illustrate  the  charge  of  injustice,  the  instance 
of  the  German  Scriptures  was  adduced  ;  and  it  was 
proved  by  the  irrefragable  testimony  of  Luther  him- 
self, the  Translator,  that  he  had  rendered  Baptizo, 
to  Immerse.  It  was  then  asked, — is  it  just,  is  it 
equitable,  is  it  consistent,  for  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety to  own  stereotype  plates  of  Luther's  version  ; 
to  print  and  distribute  copies  of  it  continually  ;  and 
at  the  same  time  absolutely  refuse  further  aid  to 
Judson's  Burman  Bible  ? 

But  it  is  not  necessary  longer  to  dwell  upon  this 
subject.  We  have  endeavoured  to  look  at  it  with 
calmness,  under  the  influence  of  the  Saviour's 
Golden  Rule,  '•  as  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to 
you,  do  ye  also  to  them  likewise."  And  yet,  when 
we  remember  the  silence,  at  least,  of  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  American  Bible  Society,  on  the  point 
concerning  which  the  managers  have  assumed  the 
prerogative  of  legislating;  when  we  consider  the 
position  which  our  denomination  has  long  occupied 
in  relation  to  the  Bible  cause  ;  our  subscriptions, 
donations,  and  bequests  ;  the  commendatory  Reso- 
lutions annually  passed  by  our  Missionary  Socie- 
ties, Associations,  and  State  Conventions,  in  favour 
of  the  National  Institution ;  and  the  faciUties  we 
now  enjoy  of  circulating  the  Oracles  of  Truth 
among  the  perishing  millions  of  immortal  fellow- 
creatures  ;  is  it  too  much  to  say  that  the  Resolution 


30  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

we  have  so  decidedly  opposed  is,  in  its  bearing 
upon  the  Baptists,  unkind,  ungenerous,  and  ttn- 
just  ? 

Your  Board  of  Missions  will  hold  their  anniver- 
sary, by  appointment,  at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  the 
last  Wednesday  of  April  next,  and  such  members 
as  cannot  make  it  convenient  to  attend  the  meeting, 
will  not  fail  I  hope,  to  communicate  their  sentiments 
upon  the  important  facts  now  submitted  to  your 
profound  consideration.  We  have  fallen  upon  event- 
ful times.  Many  Nations  must  receive  from  us  the 
Bible  ;  and  to  accomplish  this,  our  energies  and  re- 
sources must  be  increased,  concentrated,  and  wisely 
directed.  Under  existing  circumstances,  it  becomes 
us  as  a  people  with  devout  solicitude  to  inquire, 
Lord  !  what  wilt  thou  have  us  to  do? 

That  we  may  be  directed  to  pursue  that  course. 
and  that  only,  which  shall  be  well  pleasing  in  the 
sight  of  the  God  of  the  Bible,  is  the  fervent  prayer 
of  your  fellow-labourer  in  the  Kingdom  and  pa- 
tience of  Jesus  Christ. 

Spencer  H.  Cone, 

President  of  Gen.  Conveniio7i. 


AND    TH£    BAPTISTS.  81 


BIBLE  TRANSLATION. 

A  brief  Statement  as  to  the  Principles  and  Practice  of  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society  in  relation  to  versions  of  the  Scriptures  pa- 
tronized by  it,  together  ivith  a  Reply  to  certain  complaints 
against  the  course  pursued.     Published  by  the  Managers. 

(L)  The  Society  above  named  was  organized  in 
1816,  by  delegates  of  several  denominations  from 
various  sections  of  the  country.  It  was  a  novel 
spectacle  to  see  so  many  ministers  and  laymen  of 
different  creeds  uniting  for  a  common  religious  ob- 
ject, and  that  so  noble  as  the  circulation  of  the  re- 
vealed Word  of  God.  The  occasion  was  evidently 
one  of  uncommon  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 
The  Address  of  the  Convention  to  the  People  of  the 
United  States  (drawn  up  by  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  John 
M.  Mason)  is  replete  with  joyful  expectation,  and 
breathes  throughout  a  spirit  of  fraternal  concord 
and  charity.  "  If."  says  the  Address,  "  there  be  a 
single  measure  which  can  overrule  objection,  sub- 
due opposition,  and  command  exertion,  this  is  the 
measure.  That  all  our  voices,  all  our  affections, 
all  our  hands  should  be  joined  in  the  grand  design 
of  promoting  peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  man 
— that  they  should  resist  the  advance  of  misery, 
should  carry  the  hght  of  instruction  into  the  domin- 
ions of  ignorance,  and  the  balm  of  joy  to  the  soul 
of  anguish,  and  all  this  by  diffusing  the  oracles  of 
God — addresses  to  the  understanding  an  argument 


32  AMERICAN    BIBLE     SOCIETY 

which  cannot  be  encountered,  and  to  the  heart  an 
appeal  which  its  hoHest  emotions  rise  up  to  second." 

"  Under  such  impressions,  and  with  such  views, 
fathers,  brethren  and  fellow-citizens,  the  American 
Bible  Society  has  been  formed.  Local  feelings? 
party  prejudices,  sectarian  jealousies  are  excluded 
by  its  very  nature.  Its  members  are  leagued  in 
that,  and  that  alone,  which  calls  up  every  hallow- 
ed, and  puts  down  every  unhallowed  principle — the 
dissemination  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  received  ver- 
sions, where  they  exist,  and  in  the  most  faithful 
where  they  may  be  required.  In  such  a  work, 
whatever  is  dignified,  kind,  venerable,  true,  has 
ample  scope,  while  sectarian  littleness  and  virulence 
can  find  no  avenues  of  admission."  Such  was  the 
frank,  impartial,  catholic  spirit  which  called  this 
sacred  Association  into  being. 

(2.)  In  preparing  the  present  statement  in  rela- 
tion to  versions,  the  Managers  have  not  attempted 
to  settle  or  touch  any  question  as  to  philology  or 
religious  ordinances,  but  simply  to  inquire  what 
was  the  design  of  those  who  founded  the  Institution 
as  to  the  character  of  the  Scriptures  which  were  to 
be  circulated  ?  In  obtaining  the  answer  to  this  in- 
quiry, they  have  the  verbal  opinions  of  some  who 
were  a  part  of  the  first  Convention  ;  they  have  the 
constitution  then  prepared,  the  address  issued  in 
connexion  with  it,  and  the  uniform  policy  of  the 
Board  from  the  beginning  down  to  the  present  time. 
From  all  these  sources  it  appears  as  one  of  the 
clearest  of  truths  in  relation  to  the  Society,  that  it 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  33 

was  to  have  no  sectarian  character,  and  could  per- 
form no  sectarian  work.  Whatever  was  to  be  done 
by  it  was  evidently  that,  and  that  alone,  which  all 
could  unite  in  doing.*  Whatever  was  denomina- 
tional, however  important  in  other  circumstances, 
was  here  to  be  excluded.  The  Scriptures  to  be 
circulated  were  to  be  "  without  note  or  comment." 
These  all  the  denominations  brought  together  could 
unite  in  circulating,  while  they  could  never  hope  to 
agree  as  to  the  character  of  any  explanatory  append- 
ages. Those  distributed  in  the  English  tongue  were 
to  be  of  the  "  version  in  common  use."  This  version 
all  the  members  of  the  compact  usedand  appealed  to 
as  authority.  All,  therefore,  could  unite  in  its  dis- 
tribution. The  motive  of  this  is  apparent,  namely, 
to  perpetuate  harmony,  and  while  doing  a  great 
united  work,  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  denomina- 
tional collision.  Thus  far  the  wants  of  our  own 
country  are  contemplated. 

(3.)  But  the  founders  of  the  Society,  after  pro- 
viding for  these  domestic  wants,  looked  abroad  to 
the  destitute  in  other  countries.  They  looked  first 
to  nominally  Christian  nations,  such  as  France, 
Spain,  Portugal,  Italy,  Greece,  Syria,  (fee,  where 
they  saw  the  great  mass  of  the  population  without 

*  Is  it  the  practice  in  any  Society,  where  different  denominations 
unite,  to  allow  one  part  of  the  union  to  make  sectarian  books  1  How 
is  it  with  the  Sunday  School  or  the  Tract  Society  ?  Are  any  of  their 
common  funds  used  to  make  such  books,  at  home  or  abroad,  as  only 
one  sect  can  use  ?  We  believe  no  such  privilege  is  asked  or  thought 
of. 


34  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SQCIETY 

the  Scriptures,  yet  possessing  in  their  churches  and 
among  their  priesthood  ancient  versions  in  their  re- 
spective tongues,  long  since  translated,  many  of 
them  from  the  Latin  vulgate.  These  ancient  ver- 
sions were  held  in  high  repute,  while  new  versions 
would  be  viewed  with  suspicion  and  rejected. 
What  was  to  be  done  in  such  circumstances  by  the 
founders  in  their  attempts  to  extend  their  distribu- 
tions ?  Their  address  to  the  public,  already  refer- 
red to,  shows  beyond  doubt  that  this  was  a  matter  of 
distinct  contemplation  and  provision  by  that  vene- 
rable body.  Distributions  were  in  such  cases  to  be 
made  in  the  "  received  version."  There  was  no 
hope  that  those  old,  venerated  translations  could  at 
once  be  laid  aside,  and  new  ones  introduced  by  fo- 
reigners. Nor  could  new  ones  be  prepared  until 
many  years  should  pass  away. 

As  these  "  received  versions"  even  now  can  alone 
be  circulated  in  those  old  Christian  communities,  as 
their  defects  are  not  numerous,  (not  more  so,  pro- 
bably, than  were  those  of  the  septuagint  translation 
which  the  apostles  used,)  as  they  are  of  the  same 
character  as  those  which  opened  the  eyes  of  Luther 
and  other  reformers,  as  they  are  still  useful  in  papal 
countries,  the  present  Managers,  like  their  predeces- 
sors, have  felt  it  their  duty  (the  Apocrypha  and  all 
notes  being  excluded)  to  circulate  them,  fully  assur- 
ed that  in  so  doing  they  carry  out  the  well-studied 
designs  of  those  who  gave  the  Society  its  existence, 
and  marked  out  its  course  of  action.  They  would, 
at  the  same  time,  add,  that  while  fully  authorized  to 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  35 

circulate  these  versions,  they  would  gladly  exchange 
them  for  those  of  a  more  perfect  character,  and  shall 
so  exchange  them  as  fast  and  as  far  as  this  is  found 
practicable. 

(4.)  But  the  framers  of  the  Society  looked  further 
still,  to  a  third  class  of  their  fellow-men  who  were 
to  be  suppUed  with  the  Scriptures,  namely,  to  the 
pagan  nations.  Here  new  versions  were  to  be  pre- 
pared, for  none  existed.  But  on  what  principles 
were  they  to  be  made  ?  The  address  referred  to, 
hi  treating  of  this  class  of  versions  which  '*  may 
be  required," — which  are  yet  to  be  made — modern 
versions,  says  that  they  must  be  "  the  most  faithful.'' 
Now,  what  versions,  in  view  of  such  a  body,  com- 
posed of  six  or  eight  denominations,  can  be  viewed 
as  "  most  faithful  ?"  They  are  mainly  to  be  pre- 
pared by  Protestant  missionaries,  whose  patrons 
are  a  part  of  the  Bible  compact,  and  the  churches 
to  be  gathered  are  to  become,  in  a  sense,  branches 
of  churches  here  at  home.  Frequently  the  trans- 
lations are  made  at  the  sole  expense  of  the  Bible 
Society.  The  terms  '•'  most  faithful,"'  in  these  cir- 
cumstances obviously  signify  those  versions  which 
convey  the  inspirpd  nieanins;  of  the  originals,  in 
view  of  those  who  support  and  direct  the  great  Bi- 
ble cause.  But  what  is  the  inspired  meaning  in 
their  view  ?  Not  that  certainly  which  conveys  the 
peculiar  tenets  of  this  or  that  denomination,  while 
it  misstates  the  views  of  others  interested,  and  is  in 
their  judgment  unfaithful.  Faithful  versions,  in 
view  of  a  Bible  Association,  must  be  such  as  all 


36  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

consider  faithful — such  as  convey,  in  view  of  all, 
the  true  Divine  meaning.  In  the  EngUsh  Bible 
adopted  by  the  Society,  the  Divine  meaning  is  thus 
conveyed.  It  is  a  faithful  version,  as  all  admit ; 
and  others  should  be  equally  faithful  when  put  forth 
by  those  connected  with  this  Association,  and  so- 
lemnly bound  by  its  pledges. 

These  are  views  and  principles  which  the  Mana- 
gers have  always  understood  as  belonging  to  this 
Society.  Nor  were  they  aware  that  any  of  their 
fellow  labourers  could  entertain  different  views  un- 
til the  year  1835.  In  the  course  of  that  year  was 
an  occurrence  which  has  caused  no  little  perplexity, 
and  which  will  now  be  presented  in  detail. 

(5.)  In  July,  1835,  a  letter  was  received,  through 
a  friend  in  Philadelphia,  from  the  Rev.  Wilham  H. 
Pearce,  an  English  Baptist  missionary  at  Bengal, 
in  India.  In  this  letter  information  was  given  that 
the  writer,  together  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Yates,  a  bro- 
ther missionary,  had  prepared  a  new  version  of  the 
Bengalee  Scriptures,  which  they  were  desirous  of 
having  published.  With  Christian  frankness  it  was 
stated  that  in  this  version  they  had  translated  the 
Greek  terms  baptize  and  baptism  by  words  which 
signify  immerse  and  i7nme7'sion,  and  that  the  Bible 
Society  at  Calcutta  had,  on  this  account,  refused  to 
patronize  it.  Had  this  letter  contained  nothing  fur- 
ther, the  Board  could  easily  have  dismissed  the 
whole  matter,  as  they  had  no  responsibilities  con- 
nected with  that  version.  But  it  was  further  stated 
that  this  new  Bengalee  translation  was  made  on  the 


J».ND    THE    BAPTISTS.  37 

same  principles  as  those  which  obtained  in  the  Bur- 
mese translation,  which  it  was  understood  the  Ame- 
rican Bible  Society  patronized.  Here  was  a  new 
and  startling  announcement.  The  Board  had,  in- 
deed, granted,  at  different  times,  many  thousand 
dollars  towards  the  publication  of  this  Burmese  ver- 
sion, but  without  information  from  any  quarter,  or 
the  least  suspicion  that  it  was  of  the  character  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Pearce.  They  knew  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Judson,  the  translator,  to  be  a  learned  and  pious 
man,  and  therefore  felt  a  confidence  that  he  had 
made  what  they  considered  3.  faithful  version,  i.  e. 
one  which  conveyed  the  inspired  meaning — the 
only  point  to  which  they  thought  of  directing  at- 
tention— presuming  every  friend  of  the  Bible  So- 
ciety to  be  aware  that  its  Board  could  not  appro- 
priate moneys  for  any  version  of  a  marked  deno- 
minational character.  On  inquiring  of  the  Rev.  S. 
H.  Cone,  (one  of,  the  Standing  Committee  on  Dis- 
tribution,) who  had  repeatedly  solicited  funds  for 
the  Burmese  version,  whether  that  version  was  pre- 
pared as  described  by  Mr.  Pearce,  he  for  the  first 
time  informed  them  that  such  was  the  fact.  Al- 
though this  letter  from  India  had  once  been  before 
the  Committee  on  Distribution,  the  Board  at  its 
meeting  in  August  referred  it  to  the  same  again  for 
further  consideration.  The  Committee,  after  fre- 
quent meetings,  were  unable  to  recommend  any 
course  which  would  satisfy  all  concerned.  In  order 
to  give  this  subject  the  most  full  and  impartial  in- 
vestigation, the  Board  now  appointed  a  Special 
4* 


38  AMERICAN    BIBLE     SOCIETY 

Committee  of  seven,  a  Presbyterian,  an  Episcopa- 
lian,  a  Baptist,  a  Methodist,  a  Moravian,  one  of  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Church,  and  one  from  the  Society 
of  Friends.  After  repeated  meetings  of  this  Select 
Committee,  and  much  inquiry,  they  brought  in  a 
Report  with  sundry  Resolutions.  The  Rev.  S.  H. 
Cone,  one  of  the  number,  also  presented  a  minority 
Report.  The  whole  subject  was  now  postponed  for 
a  further  and  careful  consideration.  The  Mana- 
gers were  not  yet  disposed  to  adopt  the  resolutions 
submitted,  as  they  hoped,  by  a  prudent  delay,  for 
the  adjustment  of  the  difficulty  which  had  arisen, 
in  a  way  satisfactory  to  all  who  were  interested. 

Before  the  next  meeting  of  the  Board,  in  Septem- 
ber, several  letters  were  received  from  Baptist  cler- 
gymen, in  whose  judgment  they  had  great  regard, 
expressing  the  hope  that  no  hasty  measures  would 
be  adopted,  and  suggested  some  changes  and  addi- 
tions in  relation  to  the  pending  resolutions,  which 
they  had  seen  in  a  Baptist  paper. 

These  letters  were  laid  before  the  Board,  arid  the 
proposed  changes  were  made.  After  frequent  post- 
ponements and  much  deliberation,  (more,  probably, 
than  they  ever  before  bestowed  on  any  one  topic,) 
at  a  special  meeting  in  February,  1836,  they  adopt- 
ed the  following  preamble  and  resolutions  which 
had  been  prepared,  or  modified,  and  approved  of  by 
some  of  the  most  intelligent  worthy  Baptist  clergy- 
men in  America : 

By  the  Constitution  of  the  American  Bible  Socie- 
ty, its  Managers  are,  in  the  circulation  of  the  Holy 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  39 

Scriptures,  restricted  to  such  copies  as  are  "  without 
note  or  comment ;"  and  in  the  English  language, 
to  the '' version  in  common  use."  The  design  of 
these  restrictions  clearly  seems  to  have  been  to  sim- 
plify and  mark  out  the  duties  of  the  Society,  so  that 
all  religious  denominations  of  which  it  is  composed 
might  harmoniously  unite  in  performing  these  du- 
ties. 

As  the  Managers  are  now  called  to  aid  exten- 
sively in  circulating  the  Sacred  Scriptures  in  lan- 
guages other  than  the  English,  they  deem  it  their 
duty,  in  conformity  with  the  obvious  spirit  of  their 
compact,  to  adopt  the  following  resolutions  as  the 
rule  of  their  conduct  in  making  appropriations  for 
the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  in  all  foreign 
tongues. 

Resolved^  That  in  appropriating  money  for  the 
translating,  printing,  or  distributing  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  in  foreign  languages,  the  Managers  feel 
at  liberty  to  encourage  only  such  versions  as  con- 
form in  the  principles  of  their  translations  to  the 
common  English  version,  at  least  so  far  as  that  all 
the  religious  denominations  represented  in  this  So- 
ciety can  consistently  use  and  circulate  said  ver- 
sions in  their  several  schools  and  communities. 

Resolved^  That  a  copy  of  the  above  preamble 
and  resolutions  be  sent  to  each  of  the  missionary 
boards  accustomed  to  receive  pecuniary  grants  from 
this  Society,  with  a  request  that  the  same  may  be 
transmitted  to  their  respective  mission  stations 
where  the  Scriptures  are  in  process  of  translation. 


40  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

and  also  that  the  said  several  missionary  boards  be 
informed  that  their  applications  for  aid  be  accom- 
panied with  a  declaration  that  the  versions  which 
they  propose  to  circulate  are  executed  in  accord- 
ance with  the  above  resolution. 

(6.)  Such  was  the  course  adopted  by  the  Mana- 
gers after  more  than  six  months  of  candid  delibera- 
tion. No  resolutions,  it  is  believed,  were  ever  adopt- 
ed with  a  more  conscientious  conviction  of  duty,  or 
with  more  kind  feelings  towards  those  who  dis- 
sented. It  was  the  aim  in  preparing  these  rules  to 
be  impartial,  to  withhold  patronage  from  all  ver- 
sions of  a  sectarian  nature,  and  to  encourage  all 
which  are  faithfully  translated,  and  yet  in  such  a 
way  that  the  different  branches  of  the  compact  can 
unite  in  using  them  as  they  so  cordially  unite  in 
using  the  English  version. 

The  Managers  have  now  stated  what  they  be- 
lieve to  have  been  the  purpose  of  the  founders  in 
relation  to  versions,  and  also  what  has  been  the  in- 
tentional practice  of  those  who  have  since  conducted 
its  affairs.  They  have  furthermore  given  a  con- 
cise history  of  their  doings  in  regard  to  a  denomi- 
national version  in  India  which  will  satisfy  most  of 
those  connected  with  the  Society,  that  a  just  and 
constitutional  course  has  been  pursued,  and  that  no 
other  course  could  have  been  adopted,  particularly 
in  relation  to  the  latter  topic,  without  putting  the 
very  existence  of  the  Society  in  jeopardy.  But  the 
managers  regret  that  notwithstanding  the  resolutions 
in  question  were  prepared  in  their  present  shape,  by 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  41 

wise,  conscientious  Baptists,  who  viewed  and  still 
view  them  as  coincident  with  the  constitution  ;  not- 
withstanding they  received  the  lull  sanction  of  the 
Society  in  May,  1836,  and  have  been  approved  of 
by  all  the  Auxiliaries,  so  far  as  known,  they  have 
yet  failed  to  satisfy  many  of  the  Baptist  denomina- 
tion, and  have  called  forth  an  amount  of  opposition 
not  very  common  among  the  professed  sons  of  peace. 
Charges  in  various  forms  have  been  made  against 
the  doings  of  the  Board,  some  of  which  demand  a 
brief  reply. 

First. — The  Managers  are  charged  with  having  changed  their  poli- 
cy, now  objecting  to  and  withholding  aid  from  versions  of  such  a 
character  as  they  once  patronized  without  hesitation. 

The  reply  of  the  Board  here  is,  that  they  never, 
in  a  single  case,  granted  aid  to  a  version  which  they 
knew  at  the  time  to  be  of  such  a  character  that  only 
a  part  of  their  associates  could  consistently  use  it. 
Taking  it  for  granted  that  none  would  ask  them  to 
aid  denominational  versions,  they  now  find  that  in 
two  instances  they  aided  such,  though  in  honest  ig- 
norance. It  appears  that  a  small  edition  of  an  In- 
dian Gospel  was  once  printed  by  them,  where  bap- 
tizo  was  translated  by  a  word  which  signifies  to 
sprinkle^  or  pour ;  and  that  one  version  in  India 
had  been  aided  where  the  same  Greek  word  has 
been  translated  by  a  term  sinifying  immerse.  Had 
the  peculiarity  of  these  translations  in  either  case 
been  known  at  the  time,  they  would  by  no  means 
have  been  encouraged. 


42  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

Secondly. — The  Managers  are  charged  with  partialily,  hy  allowing 
other  denominations  to  make  such  foreign  versions  as  they  choosci 
while  Baptists  have  not  this  privilege. 

This  charge  can  have  no  foundation,  unless  other 
denominations  choose  to  make  versions  of  such  a 
character  that  all  the  members  of  the  Bible  Society- 
can  use  them,  while  those  who  complain  make  such 
versions  as  their  denomination  alone  can  consistently 
use.  The  Managers  can  have  no  motive  to  par- 
tiality towards  any  of  their  associates,  and  are  con- 
scious of  none,  provided  all  lay  aside  denomina- 
tional work,  and  adhere  alike  to  the  spirit  and  rules 
of  this  Association,  when  co-operating  with  it. 

Thirdly — The  Managers  are  charged  with  laying  dowm  rules  in  re- 
gard to  versions  which  Baptist  translators  cannot  conscientiously 
follow. 

The  reply  is,  that  the  Managers  lay  down  no  rules 
which  they  do  not  consider  as  enjoined  on  them 
by  the  conditions  of  their  union,  by  the  framers 
of  the  Society.  If  these  rules  bear  with  undue 
pressure  on  any  portion  of  the  compact,  it  is  for 
those  who  appoint  the  Board,  and  who  have  control 
of  the  constitution,  to  alter  that  instrument  so  that 
men  of  every  creed  and  sentbnent  may  'prepare 
such  foreign  versions  as  they  please.^  with  the  ex- 
pectation that  they  will  he  published  out  of  the  com- 
mon Bible  fund  !  At  present  such  license  would 
be  deemed  a  violation  of  what  the  constitution  re- 
quires.    But  the  Board  (while  they  would  not  judge 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS,  43 

for  Others)  are  unable  to  see  why  these  rules,  which 
the  complainauts  themselves  cheerfully  observe  in 
relation  to  the  English,  French,  and  other  old  ver- 
sions, cannot  be  also  followed  in  preparing  nevv^  ver- 
sions ;  that  is,  by  domesticating  in  them  the  Greek 
word  haptizo  and  baptismuj  so  that  other  mission- 
aries can  use  them  as  well  as  Baptist.*  It  cannot 
be  affirmed  that  errors  will  be  taught  by  these  trans- 
ferred words,  nor  can  they  be  more  unintelligible  to 
the  heathen  than  any  other  words  which  it  is  well 
known  are  transferred  from  the  originals  into  the 
Bengalee  and  Burmese  versions,  and  must  be  into 
all  versions  made  in  limited  pagan  tongues.  Some 
of  these  words,  it  is  true,  must  be  explained  by  the 
dictionary,  or  the  living  teacher,  before  the  common 
reader  will  understand  them,  So  must  many,  very 
many  words  in  the  English  Bible,  and  in  every  other, 
which  the  illiterate  reader  does  not  comprehend  until 
instructed  by  some  foreign  aid.  Where  is  there  a 
modern  tongue  which  does  not  abound  in  trans- 
ferred words?  The  very  name  of  most  religious 
denominations  is  derived  from  the  Greek. 

*  The  Rev.  Joseph  Hughes,  a  Bapdst,  and  long  a  Secretary  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  had  no  scruple  against  transferring 
baptizo  ;  nor  has  Rev.  Mr.  Sutton,  now  a  missionary  in  India.  Two 
able  pamphlets,  by  Baptists  in  England,  have  just  been  published  in 
favour  of  such  a  course.  The  Chip]iewa  New  Testament,  prepared 
by  Dr.  James,  a  Baptist,  and  printed  in  1833,  at  Albany,  has  the 
word  baptizo  transferred. 


44  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

Fourthly — The  Managers  are  charged  with  the  inconsistency  of  pa" 
tronizing  German  and  Dutch  Bibles,  uhere  baptize  is  translated 
by  words  which  signify  immerse,  and  yet  withholding  aid  from  thi 
Bengalee  and  Burmese  Bibles  translated  in  the  same  way. 

The  reply  is,  in  the  first  place,  that  the  former  ver- 
sions are  ancient  "  received  versions,"  such  as  the 
founders  of  the  Society  promised  to  patronize.  In 
the  next  place,  those  translated  words  alluded  to, 
though  they  once  signified  immerse,  have  (like 
many  words  in  the  English  Bible)  lost  their  first 
meaning,  and  are  now  of  as  general  import  as  the 
English  word  Baptize.  They  are  versions  which 
both  Baptists  and  Psedo-baptists  can  and  do  use 
continually  without  objection.  Should  the  versions 
referred  to  in  India,  as  they  are  in  the  main  good, 
undergo  a  similar  change  as  to  the  import  of  a  few 
words,  so  that  difierent  denominations  can  use 
them,  the  Managers  will  feel  no  scruple  in  granting 
them  patronage.  They  will  be  viewed  and  treated 
as  faithful  versions  when  there  is  evidence  that  they 
convey  to  all  the  component  parts  of  this  Society, 
like  the  Enghsh  and  German  Bibles,  the  mind  of  the 
Spirit.  Let  the  Divine  meaning  be  actually  con- 
veyed to  the  various  readers,  and  it  seems  to  the 
Board  a  matter  of  little  moment  whether  this  is  ef- 
fected through  one  tongue  or  another,  or  through  a 
combination  of  several. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  45 

Fifthly. — Another  charge  is,  that  the  Managers  have  set  up  the 
English  Bible  as  a  standard  to  which  all  translations  must  be  con- 
formed, thus  abridging  the  liberty  of  the  translator. 

This  is  a  mistake,  as  any  reader  of  the  foregoing 
resohuions  will  see.  It  is  expected  that  missionaries, 
or  others,  who  prepare  new  versions,  will  trans- 
late, as  they  do  in  fact,  from  the  original  tongues 
with  great  care,  imitating  the  English  no  farther 
than  by  transferring  a  few  words,  which  either  can- 
not be  translated  or  are  of  disputed  meaning ;  and 
even  these  transfers  are  not  required,  provided  the 
various  members  of  the  Society  can  unite  in  using 
the  versions  as  they  use  the  English.  This  cer- 
tainly is  imposing  no  severe  restraint  on  the  con- 
science of  the  translator,  far  less,  it  is  apprehended, 
than  the  complainants  (who  have  taken  the  English 
Bible,  and  appended  to  it  a  glossary,  telling  us^;?'e- 
cisel)/  what  certain  Greek  words  signify)  will  re- 
quire of  their  translators.  How  much  liberty  will 
the  latter  have  to  prepare  versions  which  are  not 
thoroughly  denominational  ? 

Sixthly. — Another  grave  charge  is,  that  the  American  Bible  Society 
has  received  a  large  amount  of  money  from  Baptists;  particu- 
larly that  it  has  received  forty  or  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  the  way 
of  legacies,  while  it  has  made  to  the  denomination,  as  such,  but 
very  partial  appropriations,  and  now  refuse  to  refund  what  is 
still  due. 

The  reply  here  is,  that  while  a  part,  perhaps  a 
large  part,  of  the  denomination  who  aid  the  Bible 
cause  in  any  form,  have  seceded  from  the  American 

5 


46  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

Bible  Society  and  formed  one  under  denominational 
control,  (its  Managers  being  necessarily  Baptists,) 
yet  a  highly  respected  and  valuable  portion  are  still 
co-adJLitors  with  the  National  Institution,  More  or 
less  of  the  latter  class  are  still  found  in  the  eastern^ 
middle,  southern  and  western  states,  co-operating 
with  the  local  Auxiliaries.  It  would  be  improper, 
then,  by  returning  Baptist  funds,  even  if  the  alleged 
amount  were  correct,  to  treat  the  denomination  as 
if  it  were  no  longer  a  part  of  the  Bible  compact. 
Bat  the  charge  as  to  the  amount  is  not  correct.  The 
aggreo^ate  of  legacies  received  from  Baptists,  so  far 
as  known  to  the  Board,  is  no  more  than  $18,000 : 
namely^  from  the  estate  of  John  Fleetwood  Marsh, 
deceased,  of  East  Chester,  New-York,  $10,00 ; 
from  that  of  John  Within  gton,  of  New- York,  $7,000; 
and  from  that  of  Josiah  Penfield,  of  Georgia,  $1 ,000- 
And  how  were  these  legacies  expended  ?  The 
two  first  were  received  into  the  treasury  in  1830, 
the  latter  in  1831,  the  very  year  when  the  Mana- 
gers were  endeavouring  to  supply  the  entire  United 
States  with  the  Bible,  and  which  funds  were  wholly 
expended  in  that  enterprise.  Yes,  they  were  all 
used  in  preparing  and  circulating  English,  German 
and  French  Bibles  for  the  good  of  our  own  common 
country  ;  and  a  large  debt  remained  after  they  were 
expended.  No  portion  went  to  aid  the  missions  of 
other  denominations  in  preparing  the  Scriptures  in 
any  form.  It  cannot  be  asked,  then,  of  course, 
that  these  funds  should  be  paid  back  to  the  com- 
plainants. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  47 

It  appears,  on  examining  the  Society's  books,  that 
while  no  more  than  $18,000  have  been  received 
from  Baptist  legacies,  and  that  these  were  all  ex- 
pended at  home  for  a  common  object,  the  Baptist 
Foreign  Mission  Society  has  since  been  furnished 
(that  is,  between  the  years  1831  and  1838)  with  no 
less  than  $27,000  for  the  exclusive  use  of  that  de- 
nomination in  preparing  and  circulating  the  Scrip- 
tures in  France,  Germany,  Bengal  and  Burmah. 
In  addition  to  these  grants  of  money,  the  Managers 
have  made  numerous  donations  of  English  and 
other  Scriptures  for  the  exclusive  use  of  Baptist 
missions.  During  the  years  1838  and  1839,  Messrs. 
Pasco  and  Love,  Baptist  missionaries  in  Greece, 
were  furnished  by  the  Society's  agent  in  the  Levant 
(and  with  great  pleasure)  with  no  less  than  12,933 
portions  of  the  Scriptures,  amounting  in  value  to 
some  So, 000.  It  appears,  then,  that  more  than 
$30,000,  in  money  and  books,  have  been  furnished 
by  the  Board  to  aid  Baptist  missionaries  in  circulat- 
ing the  Scriptures,  while  little  more  than  halfot 
that  sum  has  been  received  from  Baptist  legacies, 
and  these  were  received  under  such  circumstances 
as  to  pay  no  part  of  such  grants. 

But  it  is  said  that  although  the  §40,000  or 
$50,000  of  legacies  spoken  of  as  furnisJied  to  the 
Society  may  not  as  yet  be  actually  paid  over,  still 
that  sum  will  be  paid  from  the  residuum  of  the 
estate  of  Mr.  Marsh,  according  to  the  provisions  of 
his  will.  The  American  Bible  Society,  it  is  true,  is 
one  of  the  residuary  legatees  of  said  estate.  How 
far  there  is  a  prospect  of  any  speedy  avails  from 


48  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

this  quarter  will  be  seen  after  reading  the  following 
letter  from  the  executor.  This  letter  was  procured 
in  consequence  of  a  statement  in  the  Baptist  Advo- 
cate in  relation  to  this  residuum,  that  "  a  simple 
legal  process  is  alone  necessary  to  transfer  it  to  their 
(American  Bible  Society's)  coffers — a  process  which 
the  Board  can  at  its  own  option  pursue/' 

Hackensack,  18th  December,  1840. 

Dear  Sii\ — In  reply  to  your  letter  of  the  15th 
instant,  respecting  information  of  the  present  con- 
dition of  the  legacy  left  by  the  late  Mr.  Marsh,  the 
Society,  in  addition  to  the  legacy  of  $10,000  which 
has  been  paid,  are  residuary  legatees  in  common 
with  the  grand  children  and  their  children  of  the 
eight  uncles  of  the  testator,  the  Society  to  receive 
one-third — the  aforesaid  children  the  other  two- 
thirds.  These  residuary  legatees  are  very  numer- 
ous, and  scattered  throughout  England.  We  have 
ascertained  about  one  hundred,  and,  from  informa- 
tion received,  there  are  at  least  as  many  more, 
whose  names  we  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain. 
Proceedings  have  been  instituted  in  the  Court  of 
Chancery  to  have  the  estate  settled,  but  from  vari- 
ous causes  it  has  not  been  brought  to  a  close,  and 
when  it  will  be,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  say.  I 
am  advised  that  I  cannot  safely  pay  any  of  the  re- 
siduary legatees  without  having  them  all  brought, 
in  some  way,  into  court,  so  as  to  be  bound  by  a  de- 
cree, in  order  to  a  final  settlement  of  the  estate. 
Very  respectfully,  yours,  &c. 

James  Hague. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  49 

It  is  obvious  that  a  long  period  mast  intervene 
before  this  residuum  (if  it  ever  comes)  will  reach 
the  treasury.  Should  it  ere  long  be  received,  it  can 
with  every  propriety  be  employed  as  was  the 
§iOjOOO  already  realized  from  the  same  estate,  in 
furnishing  English,  German,  and  French  Bibles  to 
the  mixed  population  of  our  own  country. 

But  it  is  contended,  that  in  addition  to  the  lega- 
cies in  question,  a  large  amount  has  been  furnished 
by  Baptists  in  the  way  of  Life  Directorships,  Life 
Memberships,  dec.  Some  have  placed  the  amount 
of  payments  of  this  kind  at  $40,000  or  S50;000, 
equal  to  that  of  the  legacies  received  and  prospec- 
tive. 

Now,  while  the  Managers  are  g^reatly  averse  to 
comparisons  as  to  the  contributions  of  diflerent  de- 
nominations, they  have  been  led,  by  the  repeated 
charges  referred  to,  to  examine  with  some  care  as 
to  their  accuracy.  They  find,  in  the  first  place,  in 
relation  to  Life  Directors,  that  out  of  a  list  of  more 
than  400  belonging  to  the  Society,  only  13  were  of 
the  Baptist  denomination.  Of  these  thirteen,  two 
were  constituted  Directors  on  account  of  having 
been  members  of  the  Convention  which  formed  the 
Society.  Four  others  were  made  Directors  in  con- 
sequence of  having  been  executors  where  legacies 
were  left  it.  Two  others  were  made  Directors  by 
contributions  furnished  by  men  of  other  denomina- 
tions, and  one  of  the  remainder  is  still  a  friend  of 
the  American  Bible  Society.  It  does  not  appear, 
5* 


50 


AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 


then,  that  there  are,  in  any  view  of  the  matter, 
more  than  the  value  of  four  Directorships  to  be  re- 
turned. 

In  relation  to  Life  Members,  it  is  not  easy  to  de- 
termine the  precise  number  belonging  to  the  Baptist 
persuasion.  In  looking  over  a  list  of  more  than 
4,000  names,  not  more  than  about  100  can  be 
thus  identified,  while  several  of  these  were  consti- 
tuted members  by  those  of  other  creeds,  and  several 
more  are  still  friendly  to  the  Society.  But  allowing 
there  were  150  Life  Members,  each  of  which  has 
contributed  $30,  the  total  would  amount  to  no  more 
than  $4,500,  to  be  added  to  the  $600  for  Life  Di- 
rectorships. 

The  Board  have  next  looked  over  the  names  of 
the  120  citizens  in  New- York  who  aided  the  erec- 
tion of  the  Society's  House,  at  an  expense  of  more 
than  22,000  dollars.  While  they  find  subscriptions 
from  almost  every  other  denomination,  they  find 
but  one  (Dr.  Luke  Barker's)  belonging  to  that  from 
which  these  charges  now  come.  This  contribution 
was  $30,  to  be  added  to  the  $5,100  above  named. 

They  look  then  at  donations  made  specifically  to 
aid  distributions  in  Burmah.  Presuming  these  to 
have  been  made  by  Baptists,  they  find  them  to 
amount  in  all  to  less  than  $1,000.  As  to  contribu- 
tions made  through  Auxiliaries,  there  are  no  means 
for  determining  definitely  what  amount  has  been 
thus  received.  From  the  large  Auxiliaries  in  New- 
England,  New- York,  and  a  few  at  the  South, 


AXD    THE    BAPTISTS.  51 

whence  most  of  the  free  donations  come,  it  is  clear 
to  the  Board,  from  inquiries  and  statements  of 
agents,  that  a  small  amount,  comparatively^  (as  in 
the  case  of  Life  Directorships,  Memberships,  and 
the  Building  Fund,)  has  ever  been  furnished  by  the 
Baptists — particularly  by  those  who  have  seceded.* 
In  the  newly  settled  states,  those  of  that  denomi- 
nation have  often  united  with  others  in  procuring 
and  distributing  Bibles  in  their  respective  counties. 
But  here  the  value  was  returned  in  books,  and  in 
many  instances  large  gratuitous  supplies  in  addi- 
tion. Not  a  few  of  their  number  continue  still  to 
aid  in  these  domestic  distributions,  both  to  the  gra- 
tification of  the  Auxiliaries  and  the  Parent  Society. 
Funds  thus  paid  in  for  books,  however,  add  nothing 
to  the  capital  of  the  Institution,  and  can  furnish  no 
ground  for  a  demand  on  those  which  come  as  free 
donations.  While,  then,  it  cannot  be  determined 
with  minute  accuracy  what  amount  of  money  has 
been  furnished  by  Baptists  gratuitously,  or  so  that 
it  can  be  used  by  other  denominations,  the  Board 
have  no  belief  that  it  can  surpass  or  equal  the  more 
than  §30,000  which  they  as  a  sect  have  received 
from  the  Institution.  Aside  from  the  $18,000  of 
legacies,  (used  at  home  and  not  to  be  counted,) 
there  is  no  evidence  of  their  having  contributed  to 

*  Let  any  one  inquire  of  the  large  Societies  what  portion  of  their 
free  contribution  ever  came  from  Baptists  who  are  not  still  with 
them. 


52  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

the  treasury  one  half  the  amount  which  they  have 
received  from  it.  Under  such  circumstances,  the 
Managers  cannot,  of  course,  feel  the  obhgation  of 
making /wr^Aer  returns  to  those  who  have  chosen 
to  leave  the  Society,  and  to  assert  in  so  many  ways 
its  wrong  doings. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  53 


AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY. 


"  Such  reasoning  falls,  like  an  inverted  cone, 
Wanting  its  proper  base  to  stand  upon." 

The  foregoing  document  was  published  anony- 
mously sometime  in  the  early  part  of  February  of 
the  present  year.  It  was  republished  in  the  '=  Ex- 
tracts from  Correspondence"  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  for  March,  and  acknowledged  as  issued  by 
the  authority  of  the  Board.  It  has  thus  become 
the  duly  accredited  publication  of  an  honoured  In- 
stitution; and  both  in  that  character  and  on  other 
important  accounts,  is  to  be  regarded  as  deserving 
a  careful  perusal  and  a  most  critical  examination. 
This  is  the  first  public  attempt  of  the  American 
Board  to  vindicate  their  conduct  towards  the  Baptist 
denomination.  Their  annual  reports  have  alluded 
in  such  guarded  terms  to  the  points  at  issue,  as  left 
those  who  had  no  other  means  of  intelliorence  in  a 
state  of  extreme  doubt,  if  not  of  total  ignorance, 
even  of  what  had  been  done,  aside  from  the  argu- 
ments in  favour  of  the  acts  of  the  Board. 

Mr.  Brigham's  letter  was  a  private  aflfair,  and  was 
never  acknowledged  as  official.  Four  years  were 
permitted  to  glide  away  before  the  Board  were  pre- 
pared to  justify  a  course  of  conduct  which  has  se- 


54  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

parated  from  connexion  with  them  more  than  half 
a  railUon  of  communicants,  with  adherents  num- 
bering several  millions.  Under  such  circumstances, 
the  document  preceding  must  be  regarded  as  exhi- 
biting the  calm,  well  weighed,  and  permanently  de- 
cided opinions  of  men,  who  have  not  needed  time 
for  deliberation,  or  opportunity  for  acquiring  infor- 
mation. 

To  treat  such  a  document  with  disrespect — to 
answer  argument  with  ridicule,  or  statements  of 
fact  with  conjecture  and  surmise,  is  as  far  removed 
from  our  duty  as  a  Christian,  as  it  would  be  opposed 
to  the  character  which  we  have  ever  endeavoured 
to  maintain  as  the  conductor  of  a  respectable  pub- 
lic journal.  Before  entering  upon  the  examination, 
we  wish  to  state  one  or  two  principles  which  shall 
guide  us. 

If  we  should  be  under  the  necessity  of  disproving 
a  statement  of  fact,  we  wish  not  to  be  understood  to 
imply  that  the  Board  meant  to  deceive.  If  we  at- 
tempt to  refute  an  argument,  we  attribute  no  evil 
purpose  to  those  who  have  advanced  it.  Should 
we  ever  employ  the  legitimate  mode  of  reasoning^, 
called  by  the  schools  reductio  ad  absurdum,  we 
here,  once  for  all,  abjure  every  intention  to  cast  ri- 
dicule upon  the  American  Bible  Society,  and  declare 
our  purpose  merely  to  expose  the  weakness  of  the 
weapons  which  it  has  employed  in  its  defence. 

We  have,  for  convenience  of  reference,  numbered 
certain  sections,  and  shall  discuss  them  in  the  order 
in  which  they  appear. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  55 

1.  The  first  is  a  narrative  of  historical  fact,  and 
deserves  to  be  read  and  pondered  with  deep  atten- 
tion. The  extract  from  the  Address  of  the  Conven- 
tion which  it  contains,  is  justly  entitled  to  the  enco- 
mium bestowed  upon  it,  as  all  must  admit  that  it 
breathes  a  '•'  frank,  impartial,  catholic  spirit."  In 
order  to  connect  this  history  with  the  proceedings 
regarding  our  denomination,  a  few  additional  par- 
ticulars are  necessary.  These  we  will  endeavour 
to  supply. 

The  Baptist  Missions  were  commenced  in  1793, 
and  the  translation  of  (iaTTTiZco  and  its  cognates  im- 
mediately followed.  The  British  and  Foreign  Bi- 
ble Society  was  founded  in  IS04,  and  the  Calcutta 
Auxiliary  was  organized  in  1807.  The  Baptist  mis- 
sionaries were  invited  to  co-operate,  and  their  ver- 
sions  of  the  Scriptures,  icith  ^amii^(o  and  its  cog- 
nates translated,  were  taken  under  the  patronage 
of  the  Auxiliary  and  of  the  Parent  Institution.  The 
latter  aided  the  versions  without  the  intimation  of 
any  objection. 

In  1813  its  Corresponding  Secretary  addressed  an 
official  letter  to  the  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the 
English  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  to  inquire  whe- 
ther ^a7Z7i^(o  and  its  cognates  were  transferred  or 
translated.  The  official  reply  was  that  they  were 
translated.*  No  action  was  taken  thereupon  by 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  but  it  con- 

*  Hinton's  Letter  to  Lord  Bexley,  President  of  the  British  and  Fo- 
reign Bible  Society. 


66  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

tinued  to  aid  the  Baptist  translations.  Under  these 
circumstances,  the  American  Bible  Society  was 
formed  in  1816;  and  Baptists  were  invited  to  co-ope- 
rate with  the  assurance  that  its  only  object  was, 
"  the  dissemination  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  received 
versions  where  they  exist,  and  in  the  most  faithful 
where  they  may  be  required."  Some  of  the  Baptist 
versions  had  been  in  existence  sixteen  years^  and 
many  thousand  copies  had  been  received  by  the  be- 
nighted heathen.  These  versions  had  received  aid 
from  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  with  the 
full  knowledge  that  ^a^rz/fw  and  its  cognates  were 
translated.  These  facts  were  matters  of  public  re- 
cord, and  although  now  in  1841,  a  Board  of  Mana- 
gers may  declare,  that  they  did  not  knmo  them^  it 
will  require  more  than  their  conjecture  to  convince 
posterity  that  a  man  of  such  intelligence  as  the  Rev. 
Dr.  John  M.  Mason,  who  drew  up  the  Address  of 
the  Convention,  was  equally  ignorant.  The  ques- 
tion is  not  what  Mr.  Brigham  and  his  co-managers 
in  1839  or  in  1841  knew.  Suppose  that  ^/iey  should 
declare  themselves  ignorant  that  there  were  any 
Baptists  in  the  world,  that  there  were  any  Baptist 
missions  in  India,  or  even  that  there  was  such  an 
institution  as  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society 
which  assisted  the  Baptist  translations.  We  appeal 
to  any  court  of  law,  or  of  equity,  or  to  any  man  of 
plain,  unsophisticated  sense,  what  would  be  the 
effect  of  such  a  plea  of  ignorance  ?  Would  it  affect 
the  facts  of  the  case,  or  alter  in  the  least  the  position 
of  the  Baptists,  and  their  relation  to  other  denomi- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  57 

nations  in  forming  the  American  Bible  Society  ?  Or 
would  the  plea  recoil  against  a  body  of  men,  who 
were  intrusted  witli  the  interests  of  such  an  institu- 
tion, and  when  their  professions  and  actions  had 
led.  into  error  a  large  denomination  of  Christians, 
excuse  themselves  on  account  of  their  ignorance  of 
recorded  and  icell  known  facts  7  This  point  is  one 
of  great  importance,  and  will  be  examined  at  length 
when  we  come  to  the  fifth  section.  We  will  there 
endeavour  to  show  the  means  of  acquiring  the  re- 
quisite information  possessed  by  the  Board  of  Ma- 
nagers. 

We  will  not  then  detract  from  the  reputation  of 
the  inteUigent  and  noble-minded  men,  who,  with 
Dr.  Mason  at  their  head,  prepared  and  published 
the  Address  of  the  Convention,  by  believing  them 
ignorant  of  the  proceedings  of  the  British  and  Fo- 
reign Bible  Society,  and  of  the  history  of  the  Bap- 
tist translations  of  India.  But  supposing  them  so 
culpably  ignorant,  still  their  professions  were  per- 
fectly "  frank,  impartial  and  catholic."'  They  sup- 
posed that  in  the  work  which  they  commenced, 
"sectarian  littleness  and  virulence"  could  ^-  find  no 
avenue  of  admission."  It  will  be  our  business  to 
ascertain  how  unflinchingly  their  successors  have 
maintained  these  sentiments. 

2.  The  first  sentence  of  the  second  section  can- 
not properly  be  considered  by  itself.  It  has  a  most 
intimate  connexion  with  two  or  three  sentences  in  a 
subsequent  section.  We  will  place  them  in  juxta- 
position. 

6 


58 


AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 


In  preparing  the  present  state- 
ment in  relation  to  versions,  the 
Managers  have  not  attempted  to 
settle  or  touch  any  question  as  to 
philology  or  religious  ordinances, 
but  simply  to  inquire  what  was 
the  design  of  those  who  founded 
the  Institution,  as  to  the  character 
of  the  Scriptures  which  were  to 
be  circulated  ? 


The  terms  "  most  faithful,"  in 
these  circumstances  obviously  sig- 
nify those  versions  which  convey 
the  inspired  meaning  of  the  ori- 
ginals, in  view  of  those  who  sup- 
port and  direct  the  great  Bible 
cause.  But  what  is  the  inspired 
meaning  in  their  view  ?  Not  that 
certainly  which  conveys  the  pecu- 
liar tenets  of  this  or  that  denomi- 
nation,'while  it  misstates  the  views 
of  others   interested,    and   is   in 

their  judgment  unfaithful. 

Faithful  versions,  in  view  of  a  Bi- 
ble Association,  must  be  such  as 
all  consider  faithful — such  as  con- 
vey, in  view  of  all,  the  true  Di- 
vine meanii.g.  In  the  English 
Bible  adopted  by  the  Society,  tb-e 
Divine  meaning  is  thus  conveyed. 
It  is  a  faithful  version,  as  all  ad- 
mit ;  and  others  should  be  equally 
faithful  when  put  forth  by  those 
connected  with  this  Association 
and  solemnly  bound  by  its  pledges - 


The  Managers  -have  not  attempted  to  settle  or 
touch  any  question  as  to  philology  or  religious  ordi- 
nances," and  yet  decide  that  the  Baptist  translations 
are  "in  their  judgment  unfaithful.'' 

The  discrepancies  between  deciding  that  the 
translation  oi ^amiL,w  \s unfaithful^  and  not  settling 
any  question  as  to  philology ;  between  determining 
that  immersion  is  wrong  and  not  touching  any 
question  as  to  religious  ordinances  ;  are  too  glaring 
to  escape  the  observation  of  any  reader.     The  full 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  59 

consideration  of  these  extracts  would  lead  us  di- 
rectly to  the  true  issue  between  the  American  Bible 
Society  and  the  Baptists.  This  we  prefer  to  post- 
pone till  we  reach  the  section  from  which  the  second 
extract  was  made.  The  remainder  of  the  present 
section  is  designed  to  show  that  the  Society  were 
bound  to  avoid  every  thing  sectarian  in  its  aspect. 
This  we  most  readily  and  heartily  admit,  and  our 
object  under  the  '•  true  issue"  will  be  to  show  that 
their  course  has  been  sectarian,  since  they  adopted 
the  resolutions  of  1836.  Previously  to  that  occur- 
rence we  acquit  them,  so  far  as  the  present  <:{uestion 
is  concerned,  of  any  such  charge. 

3.  The  third  section  relates  to  the  ancient  ver- 
sions of  the  Scriptures  in  Europe  founded  on  the 
Latin  Yulgate.  These  the  Managers  acknowledge 
that  they  have  patronized  from  their  commencement 
of  the  work  of  foreign  distribution.  They  justify 
this  procedure  on  the  ground  that  the  "defects'' 
of  these  versions  "  were  not  numerous,  and  there 
was  no  hope  that  those  old,  venerated  versions 
could  at  once  be  laid  aside,  and  new  ones  be  intro- 
duced by  foreigners.  Nor  could  new  ones  be  pre- 
pared until  many  years  should  pass  away." 

With  the  propriety  of  this  course  we  are  not  at 
present  concerned.  As  an  individual,  we  approve 
it,  althouo:h  we  know  that  in  this  we  differ  from 
many  excellent  men,  and  we  do  not  form  our  opi- 
nion altogether  upon  the  reasons  advanced  by  the 
Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society.  But  we 
would  have  been  better  pleased  had  the  Managers 


60  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

alluded  more  distinctly  and  more  accurately  to  the 
character  of  the  defects  of  which  they  speak.  The 
Spanish  Bible,  for  instance,  employs  "  Hacer  peni- 
tencia"  to  express  the  meaning  of  those  passages  in 
which  repentance  is  enjoyed.  The  words  si2:nify 
"  to  do  penance,''  and  are  so  understood  by  Span- 
iards themselves.  When  they  wish  to  express  our 
idea  of  "  repent,"  they  use  the  verb  "  arrepentirse."' 
So  commonly  is  the  idea  of  doing  penance  attached 
to  "  hacer  penitencia,"  that  they  employ  the  phrase 
Vx^hen  they  invite  a  friend  to  dine  with  them,  and 
to  submit  to  meagre  diet :  "  Come  and  do  penance 
with  me  to  day,"  that  is,  "  Do  not  expect  rich  fare, 
but  be  content  with  whatever  we  happen  to  have." 
Similar  defects  exist  in  other  versions  founded  on 
the  Latin  Vulgate,  and  therefore  the  Papal  See  per- 
mits them  to  be  used,  while  it  is  mortally  opposed 
to  Protestant  versions  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

When  Baptists  were  in  1816  invited  to  co-operate 
in  forming  the  American  Bible  Society,  with  the 
assurance  that  it  would  aid  "  in  the  dissemination 
of  received  versions  where  they  do  exist,"  theirs  had 
existed  and  had  been  extensively  received  by  hea- 
then, and  approved  by  Christians  generally,  for  a 
considerable  number  of  years.  With  some  of  them 
Qio  other  version  did  exist  to  compete.  The  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society  began  to  extend  its  benefactions 
to  foreign  versions,  and  commenced  with  those 
founded  on  the  Vulgate.  Could  Baptists  suppose 
that  the  most  bigoted  Paedo-baptist  would  find  in  the 
translation  of  §anxi^(a  a  greater  defect  than  those  ac- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  61 

knowledged  to  exist  in  the  Romanist  versions  ?  But, 
say  the  Managers,  "  There  was  no  hope  that  those 
old,  venerated  translations  could  at  once  be  laid 
aside,  and  new  ones  be  introduced  by  foreigners.. 
Nor  could  one  be  prepared  till  many  years  had  pass- 
ed away."  And  did  the  Board  then  suppose  that 
the  Baptists  imuld  lay  aside  their  versions  and 
adopt  those  ijrepared  hy  Pcedo-haptists  7  And  did 
they  suppose  that  "  new  ones  could  be  prepared'" 
before  "  many  years  should  pass  away  ?"'  Either 
supposition  indicates  far  less  intelligence  and  less 
judgment  than  vve  are  ready  to  accord  to  the  Ma- 
nagers of  the  American  Bible  Society.  But  "  the 
Managers  [first  resolution]  feel  at  liberty  to  en- 
courage only  such  versions  as  conform  to  the  com- 
mon English  version,  at  least  so  far  that  all  the  re- 
ligious denominations  represented  in  this  Society 
<3an  consistently  use  and  circulate  said  versions  in 
their  several  schools  and  communities,^' 

Connecting  this  resolution  with  the  history  of  the 
Romanist  versions,  and  with  the  fact  that  the  Bap- 
tist versions  are  excluded  under  this  resolution  be- 
cause they  translate  §a7TTiXco  it  becomes  an  indisputa- 
ble fact  that  the  Managers  can  ^-  use  and  circulate'" 
Romanist  versions  in  preference  to  Baptist,  can 
sanction  the  ''doing  of  penance,"  for  repentance, 
rather  than  allow  a  conscientious  body  of  Christians, 
who  in  no  other  respects  differ  from  them  in  trans- 
lating Scripture,  to  translate  the  word  ^aizTiXco  and  its 
^cognates. 

To  obtain  a  complete  view  of  the  case  in  this 
6* 


62  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

light,  it  will  be  necessary  to  add,  that  the  Baptists 
were  large  contributors  to  the  funds  of  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society,  and  zealous  co-operators  in  its 
cause  :  that  Romanists  had  no  connexion  with  it : 
that  the  agents  of  the  American  Bible  Society, 
when  travelling  through  the  country,  preaching 
and  lecturing  in  behalf  of  foreign  distribution,  fre- 
quently referred  to  Carey,  and  Judson,  and  YateS; 
and  others  of  our  translators,  and  wrought  upon  the 
sympathies  of  their  audiences  by  the  necessity  of 
assisting  such  men  in  such  undertakings.  These, 
with  other  circumstances  which  we  will  hereafter 
develope,  will  conduce  to  show  the  true  position  of 
the  Board  in  relation  to  foreign  versions. 

The  Managers  have  softened  the  character  of  the 
Popish  superstitions  and  will- worship  inculcated  in 
the  Romanist  versions,  by  calling  them  "  defects.'' 
We  have  mentioned  one  of  these  defects  that  pre- 
vail throughout  them.  Our  readers  will  perhaps 
be  gratified  to  see  another  to  enable  them  to  judge 
of  the  meaning  of  the  word  defect^  when  applied  to 
a  translation  of  Holy  Scripture,  and  also  to  under- 
stand what  the  Managers  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  believe  "  all  the  religious  denominations 
represented  in  this  Society  can  consistently  use  and 
circulate  in  their  several  schools  and  communities," 
while  they  recoil  with  horror  from  the  idea  that  a 
version  which  translates  ^antit^oa  should  be  circulated, 
though  in  every  other  respect,  even  to  them,  unex- 
ceptionable. In  the  same  Spanish  version  of  which 
we  spoke,  printed  and  circulated  by  the  American 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  63 

Bible  Society,  the  twenty-first  verse  of  the  eleventh 
chapter  of  Hebrews  reads  thus  : 

For  fe  Jacob,  Estaxdo  para    morir,  rendijo  a  cada  r.vo 

Dfi    L03    HIJ03    DE    JoSEPH  :    Y    ADORO     LA    ALTUKA    DE    SU    VARA. 

"  By  faith  Jacob  about  to  die,  blessed  each  one  of  the  sons  of  Jo- 
seph :  and  worshipped  the  top  of  his  staff/' 

The  worship  of  an  image  on  the  top  of  a  staff, 
which  is  the  idea  that  a  common  Romanist  attaches 
to  such  a  passage,  is  a  venial  fault,  a  mere  defect  in 
the  view  of  this  circular ;  but  the  immersion  of  a 
believer  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  according  to  the  example  of 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  is  an  unpardonable  crime, 
and  the  version  of  Scripture  that  inculcates  it,  is 
unfaithful. 

Before  leaving  the  third  section  we  must  express 
our  regret  that  the  Managers  have  not  been  more 
particular  in  this  to  date  their  transactions.  This 
defect  we  shall  endeavour  to  supply. 

From  the  circular  alone,  the  most  of  readers 
would  draw  the  inferences,  that  the  Society  labour- 
ed for  some  time  in  the  distribution  of  the  English 
Scriptures  before  they  turned  their  attention  to  ex- 
isting versions  in  foreign  tongues,  and  that  at  a 
more  distant  period  they  considered  the  question  of 
assistins:  in  translatinof  into  heathen  lanQfuagres.  AVe 
do  not  say  that  it  was  designed  to  convey  erroneous 
ideas  in  these  matters,  but  we  assert  that  the  circu- 
lar would  not  give  the  impression  that,  as  was  real- 


64  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOClETi'' 

ly  the  case,  in  the  very  first  year  of  the  ^^ociety's 
operations^  the  Managers  who  then  had  charge  of 
its  interests,  "  directed  their  attention  to  the  transla- 
tion of  the  Scriptures  into  the  Indian  languages  of 
our  country,  and  the  publication  of  the  Spanish  New 
Testament,  and  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  French." 
First  Report,  p.  18.  The  next  year  we  find  them 
ordering  an  edition  of  the  Bible  in  the  language  of 
the  Delaware  Indians,  and  another  in  that  of  the 
Mohawks.  Second  Report,  pages  18,  19.  From 
that  time  to  the  present  they  have  been  enga2:ed  in 
the  distribution  of  foreign  versions  and  the  encou- 
ragement of  new  translations,  so  that  from  the  com- 
mencement of  their  operations,  either  their  princi- 
ples in  relation  to  such  matters  were  established,  or 
they  were  proceeding  in  aflairs  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance, and  zealously  employing  the  aid  of  our  de- 
nomination,  without  fixed  principles.  This  matter 
of  dates  we  mention  now  because  particularly  con- 
nected with  the  second  and  third  sections,  but  the 
application  of  the  argument  derived  from  them  will 
be  felt  most  forcibly  under  the  fifth. 

4.  The  substance  of  the  fourth  section  is,  that 
where  versions  did  not  exists  hut  were  to  he  made, 
the  most  faithful  were  to  he  patronized^  and  that  a 
version  which  expressed  views  in  which  all  the  de- 
nominations represented  in  the  Society  did  not  co- 
incide, is  therefore  in  the  judgment  of  its  Managers 
unfaithful. 

Should  these  statements  be  admitted,  they  do  not 
apply  to  the  case  of  the  Bengali  version.     Although 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  65 

since  improved  by  Yates,  it  existed  many  years 
before  the  American  Bible  Society,  and  has  under- 
gone no  change  in  the  j)articiilar  objected  to.  It 
was  therefore  not  a  version  about  to  be  made.  We 
should  think  that  a  judicious  bod}^  of  men  hke  the 
Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society  would  see 
this  discrepancy  in  their  argument.  But  leaving 
this,  we  discover  other  important  points  deserving 
of  notice  in  these  statements. 

In  the  first  place,  the  Managers  have  never  before 
charged  that  the  Bengcdi  version  is  vnfaithfid. 
A  resolution  to  that  eifect  was  once  started  in  com- 
mittee, but  the  Rev.  Dr.  De  Witt  most  solemnly  ab- 
jured the  idea  of  expressing  such  an  opinion,  and 
the  resolution  was  withdrawn. 

In  the  Board,  the  Baptist  Managers  frequently 
challenged  any  assertion  oi  unfaithfulness,  but  that 
point  was  never  made  the  subject  of  debate.  Now. 
when  the  Baptists  have  left  the  Society,  when  they 
have  formed  another  Institution,  and  have  continu- 
ed their  separate  organization  for  four  years  :  v»^hen 
there  is  no  one  to  vindicate  their  cause  in  the  Board 
of  the  American  Bible  Society,  or  to  expose  the  in- 
consistency of  such  a  procedure,  the  Managers 
gravely  conclude  that  they  did  not  patronize  the 
Bengali  version  because  it  icas  unfaithful ! 

We  will  acknowledge  that  there  is  a  boldness 
about  this  plea,  which,  had  it  been  assumed  in  an 
earlier  part  of  the  controversy,  would  have  implied 
to  many  minds  a  greater  degree  of  consistency  than 
any  before  advanced.     A  version  is  unfaithful,  be- 


66  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

cause  it  expresses  views  contrary  to  those  enter- 
tained by  a  portion  of  the  Society.  It  must  be  evi- 
dent that  the  question  of  numbers  in  such  a  matter 
cannot  be  considered.  If  the  principle  be  correct, 
it  would  have  been  equally  applicable,  had  the  Bap- 
tists constituted  the  larger,  and  the  Paedo-baptists 
the  smaller  portion  of  the  Society.  Let  us  apply 
the  principle  and  see  how  it  will  work.  A  portion 
of  the  Society  belong  to  the  Old  School  in  doctrine, 
and  another  to  the  New  School.  The  missionaries 
are  similarly  divided.  Some  are  regarded  by  those 
who  differ  from  them  as  Pelagian,  and  others  as  An- 
tinomian.  Of  course  each  translates  certain  disput- 
ed passages  of  Scripture  bearing  upon  doctrine  ac- 
cording to  his  peculiar  views  of  their  meaning,  and 
in  these  expresses  views  differing  from  those  of 
many  others  equally  interested  in  the  Society, 
Will  the  Managers  therefore  deem  such  translations 
unfaithful  7  If  the  principle  be  correct,  surely  men 
of  honourable  minds  will  not  think  of  restricting  its 
application  to  Baptists. 

The  latter  portion  of  this  section  thus  proceeds  : 
"  Faithful  versions  in  view  of  a  Bible  Association? 
must  be  such  as  all  consider  faithful — such  as  con- 
vey, in  view  of  all,  the  true  Divine  meaning.  In 
the  English  Bible  adopted  by  the  Society,  the  Di- 
vine meaning  is  thus  conveyed.  It  is  a  faithful 
version,  as  all  admit ;  and  others  should  be  equally 
faithful  when  put  forth  by  those  connected  with  this 
Association  and  solemnly  bound  by  its  pledges.*' 
la  order  fully  to  understand  the  meaning  of  these 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS,  67 

sentences,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  Ben- 
gaU  version  was  rejected,  because  in  a  single  word 
and  its  cognates,  it  did  not  conform  to  the  English 
version  ;  in  other  respects  its  faithfulness  is  not  dis- 
puted. The  Board  of  Managers  '•  have  not  at- 
tempted to  settle  or  touch  any  question  as  to  philo- 
logy," and  yet  decide  that  if  a  conscientious  philo- 
logist translates  a  word  which  is  7iot  translated  in 
the  English  version,  his  whole  book,  though  unex- 
ceptionable in  every  other  particular,  is  iinfaithfiil^ 
and  cannot  be  patronized.  Thus  the  English  ver- 
sion is  made  a  Procrustean  bed,  to  the  length  and 
breadth  of  which  the  conscience  of  every  trans- 
lator must  be  stretched  or  contracted  as  the  case 
may  require. 

••  It  is  a  faithful  version,  as  all  admit."  Gra- 
tuitous assumption  is  not  argument  or  matter  of 
fact.  We  do  not  admit  it  to  be  faithful  in  the  sense 
which  the  Managers  imply  by  their  reasoning. 
Nay,  we  doubt  whether  in  this  sense,  one  in  ten 
thousand  of  our  countrymen,  exclusive  of  Episco- 
palians, will  venture,  upon  deliberation,  to  declare 
it  faitliful.  We  will  adduce  one  instance.  In  Acts 
xii.  4,  the  Greek  word  77«(t/«  is  translated,  con- 
trary to  all  rules  of  philology,  "  Easter."  No  scho- 
lar doubts  that  it  should  be,  as  everywhere  else  in 
the  Testament,  translated  '•  Passover."  Do  the 
Board  of  Managers  mean  to  insist,  that  the  English 
version  is  faithful  in  respect  to  this  word  ?  Yet  if 
it  be  not,  what  becomes  of  their  argument  ?  It  will 
not  do  for  them  to  say,  that  they  meant  not  to  as- 


68  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

sert  its  faithfulness  in  every  single  word,  The 
Bengali  version  is  not  charged  with  unfaithfulness, 
except  in  one  word  and  its  cognates.  Nay,  the 
testimonials  to  its  faithfulness  are  of  the  most  in- 
disputable character,  and  many  of  them  from  Psedo- 
baptists.  They  have  never  been  disputed  by  the 
Board,  and  therefore  it  would  only  encumber  our 
argument  here  to  introdu'ce  them.  The  only  fault 
ever  found  with  the  version,  is  that  it  has  followed 
the  version  of  Martin  Luther,  and  almost  every 
other  Protestant  version  of  inland  Europe  and  all 
the  ancient  Eastern  versions,  in  translating  jSa^rr/fw, 
instead  of  transferring  it.  This  is  the  true  issue^ 
and  to  this  we  shall  hereafter  lend  our  attention 
more  closely.  At  present  we  cannot  pass  by  a 
question  or  two  suggested  by  what  we  have  said. 
The  word  "  Easter" — do  our  Presbyterian  and 
Congregational  friends  preserve  it  in  their  versions^ 
or  do  they  dare  to  translate  UaGia^  "  Passover."  or 
by  a  word  of  similar  import  ?  This  is  an  import- 
ant question.  Have  our  Episcopal  friends  given  it 
due  consideration  ?  Dr.  Milnor  was  exceedingly 
strenuous  against  the  Baptists^  because  they  varied 
in  one  word  from  the  English  version.  Is  he 
equally  scrupulous,  we  will  not  say,  conscientious, 
towards  his  Presbyterian  friends  ?  Shall  we  ques- 
tion our  Congregational  friends  about  the  word 
'•  bishop  ?"  We  wish  not  to  annoy,  we  desire  only 
to  convince.  If  the  Managers  will  proceed  to  ap- 
ply their  reasoning,  they  cannot  fail  to  discover  its 
fallaciousness. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  69 

Since,  in  their  opinion,  faithfulness  requires  that 
every  worcl^  in  the  translation  of  which  denomina- 
tions differ,  should  be  conformed  to  the  English 
version,  they  certainly  decide  that  in  these  words 
the  English  Bible  is  faithful.  They  cannot,  there- 
fore, avoid  the  conclusion  that  "  Easter,"  and  "  Bi- 
shop," and  similar  v/ords,  are  faithful  translations, 
and  that  every  version  which  does  not  copy  them, 
is  unfaithful  and  undeserving  of  patronage.  On 
this  subject,  then,  we  appeal  to  them  as  honest,  im- 
partial men,  and  ask  them  whether  they  have  made 
due  inquiries  in  these  respects  regarding  the  ver- 
sions which  they  patronize  ?  If  they  have  not,  do 
their  consciences  acquit  them? 

The  Episcopal  denomination  seldom  object  to 
immersion.  In  the  English  Church  it  is  specially 
prescribed,  and  in  this  country  it  is  sometimes  prac- 
tised by  them.  Last  year  a  writer  in  the  Church- 
man spoke  in  favour  of  it,  and  denounced  sprink- 
ling as  unscriptural.  Bishop  Smith,  of  Kentucky, 
declares  immersion  to  be  the  only  Scriptural  mode 
of  baptism.  The  British  Critic,  the  Church  organ 
in  Great  Britain,  regards  it  in  the  same  light,  and 
wishes  to  see  it  restored  as  the  universal  practice  of 
the  Church.  But  the  Episcopalians  all  reverence 
'•  Easter,"  and  prefer  the  term  "  Bishop,"  to  "  Over- 
seer." They  have  not,  it  is  true,  a  majority  in  the 
Board  of  Managers,  but  if  they  had,  would  other 
denominations  submit  to  have  every  version  stig- 
matized as  unfaithful,  which  in  these  and  similar 
words  does  not  conform  to  the  English  ?  Surely 
7 


70  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

the  Managers  will  not  pretend  that  numbers  deeitie 
principle  :  in  other  words,  that  only  that  is  faithful 
for  which  a  majority  of  votes  can  be  procured. 

This  subject  still  presents  itself  in  another  aspect. 
If  the  English  version  convey  "  the  true  Divine 
meaning,"  and  if  it  be  "  faithful,"  have  the  Mana- 
gers any  right  to  alter  it  ?  So  much  praise  has 
been  of  late  bestowed  upon  the  English  version,, 
especially  since  the  American  Bible  Society  has 
adopted  it  as  the  standard  by  which  to  determine 
the  faithfulness  of  other  versions,  that  the  patrons 
of  that  Institution  are  probably  little  prepared  to 
learn  what  liberties  its  Managers  are  taking  with 
that  which  conveys  "  the  true  Divine  meaning.'^ 
We  might  point  them  to  several  thousand  instances 
in  which  they  have  varied  from  the  authorized  edi- 
tions of  the  English  Scriptures,  but  we  prefer 
showing  how  they  disagree  even  with  themselves. 
The  length  oi  this  article  will  permit  us  to  adduce 
only  one  instance,  but  it  shall  be  one  of  no  little 
importance.  We  have  before  us  four  editions  of 
the  American  Bible  Society,  two  of  the  same  year. 
In  the  octavo  edition  of  the  Bible  for  1829,  John  x„ 
28,  29,  is  thus  translated  : 

"■  ANt)  I  GIVE  UNTO  THEM  ETERNAL  LIFE  ;  AND  THEY  SHALL 
NEVER  PERISH,  NEITHER  SHALL  ANY  man  PLUCK  THEM  OUT  OF 
MY    HAND. 

"My  Father  WHICH  gave  tkem  me,  is  greater  than  all» 
AND    NO  man   is   able    to   pluck   them   out   of  my  Father's 

HAND." 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  71 

The  duodecimo  edition  of  the  same  year,  gives 
the  passage  thus : 

''And   I   GIVE   UNTO  them  etehna-i,  life;  and  thet  shall 

«EVER    perish,    neither     SHALL     A>"Y    PLUCK     THEM   OUT   OF    MT 
HAND. 

■''My  Father,  which  gave  them  me,  is  greater  thak  all; 
AND  none  is  able  TO  PLUCK  them  OCT  OF  MY  Father's  hasd." 

The  octavo  edition  of  the  New  Testament  for 
1531,  is  altered  from  the  octavo  edition  of  the  Bible 
for  1829,  and  follows  the  duodecimo  edition  of  the 
latter  yean 

But  the  octavo  edition  of  1839  varies  from  both, 
and  presents  the  passage  thus,  placing  the  word 
*'  man''  in  roman  characterSj  as  though  it  were  in 
the  original. 

"And  I  GITE  UNTO  THEM  ETERNAL  LIFE;  AND  THET  SHALL 
KETER  perish,  NEITHER  SHALL  ANY  MAN  PLUCK  THEM  OUT  OF 
MY    HAKD. 

"  My  Father,  which  gave   them  me,  is  greater  than  all  ; 

AND     NO     MAN     13     ABLE     TO     PLUCK     them     OUT     OF    MY    Fa-THEr's 
HAND." 

Such  then  is  the  mode  hi  which  the  Manaffers 
treat  a  version  which  they  believe  to  convey  '•  the 
true  Divine  meaning,"  and  to  be  '-'faithful"  even  to 
individual  words.  To  some  readers,  the  verses 
which  we  have  quoted,  convey  different  meanings 
as  they  have  been  varied  by  the  Managers.  A  man 
who  cherished  warmly  the  doctrine  of  the  perse- 
verance of  the  saints,  might  allege,  that  when 
-'  man"  is  inserted  as   though  in  the  original,  it 


72  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

leaves  a  doubt  whether  other  bemgs  might  not 
pkick  the  sainls  from  the  Father's  hand.  But  this 
is  not  the  question  with  us.  Our  inquiry  is,  where 
is  the  consistency  of  thus  varying  a  version,  and 
then  insisting  that  it  conveys  "the  true  Divine 
meaning,"  and  cashiering  every  version  that  does 
not  conform  to  it  ? 

We  shall  here  endeavour  to  show  the  real  issue 
between  the  American  Bible  Society  and  the  Bap- 
tists. We  say  the  real  issue,  for  we  have  already 
shown  that  the  unfortunate  course  of  the  American 
Bible  Society  has  involved  them  in  several  colla- 
teral issues,  upon  each  of  which  a  simple  statement 
of  facts  furnishes  an  unquestionable  verdict  against 
them.  In  order  to  come  at  the  real  issue,  we  must 
suppose  all  these  facts  to  be  changed.  We  will 
then  imagine  that  the  Bengali  version  was  not  in 
existence  when  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety commenced ;  that  it  was  7iot  patronized  by 
that  Institution  ;  that  the  Secretary  of  that  Institu- 
tion was  not  officially  required  to  interrogate  the 
Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  1813,  whether  in  that 
version  ^ami^ca  was  translated  ;  that  the  Mission- 
ary Society  did  not  reply  that  it  was  ;  that  the  Bri- 
tish and  Foreign  Bible  Society  did  not  continue  to 
patronize  the  version  ;  that  the  xlmerican  Bible  So- 
ciety, when  it  was  formed  in  1816,  did  not  know 
of  the  existence  of  that  version  ;  that  this  Society 
did  not  commence  patronizing  foreign  versions  in 
the  first  years  of  its  existence  ;  that  it  does  7iot  pa- 
tronize Catholic  versions,  inculcating  the  doing  of 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  73 

penance  and  the  worshipping  of  the  top  of  a 
staff ;  that  it  does  not  change  the  EngUsh  version  in 
thousands  of  instances  and  sometimes  in  very  im- 
portant cases.  These  and  many  other  circumstances 
must  be  imagined  to  be  changed^  before  we  can 
fairly  try  the  real  issue,  the  point,  which,  though 
concealed  by  many  other  matters  less  important,  is 
the  true  point  of  difference  between  the  American 
Bible  Society  and  the  Baptists. 

We  suppose,  then,  that  the  Bengali  version  was 
about  to  be  prepared,  and  the  iManagers  of  the  Ame- 
rican Bible  Society  were  about  to  determine  the 
principles  on  which  they  would  commence  the  pa- 
tronage of  new  versions.  We  will  suppose  farther, 
that  other  versions  were  being  prepared  in  the  same 
language,  and  that  the  latter  transferred  ^w^rr/Cw, 
while  the  Baptist  version  translated  the  word.  The 
question  then  comes  legitimately  before  the  Mana- 
gers, which  is  the  more  faithful  course  in  making  a 
version  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  into  a  heathen  lan- 
guage, to  transfer  ^a7ZTtX<o  or  to  translate  it.  The 
Managers  assume  the  position  that  it  is  more  faith- 
ful to  transfer  the  word ;  the  Baptists  believe  that 
it  is  more  faithful  to  translate  it. 

It  will  be  evident  upon  a  little  consideration,  that 
the  question  of  the  English  version  is  not  necessa- 
rily connected  with  this  issue.  This  version  has 
been  in  existence  about  two  hundred  years.  It  is 
generally  used  and  is  esteemed  classic  in  the  ver- 
nacular tongue.  Ideas  more  or  less  definite  are  at- 
tached to  the  word  '-  baptize,''  which  has  been  trans- 
7* 


T4  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

ferred  in  it  from  the  Greek.  The  faciUties  furnish- 
ed in  this  country  for  the  study  of  the  original,  and 
the  general  and  rapidly  increasing  diffusion  of 
knowledge,  diminish,  to  say  the  least,  the  necessity 
of  translating  the  word.  But  with  a  heathen  natioii 
the  case  is  different. 

A  missionary  of  the  cross,  imbued  with  love  to 
God  and  man,  has  visited  a  foreign  land  to  commu- 
nicate the  will  of  Heaven  to  the  ignorant.  He 
bears  with  him  the  precious  oracles  which  reveal 
that  will,  and  he  makes  himself  acquainted  with 
the  language  of  the  people  whom  he  desires  to  be- 
nefit. He  then  commences  the  work  of  transla- 
tion. A  word  occurs  which  expresses  a  distinct 
duty.  Of  the  meaning  of  that  word,  or  the  import 
of  that  duty,  he  has  no  doubt.  To  enjoin  that 
among  other  duties,  he  has  left  his  home  and  de- 
voted his  life  to  hardship  and  peril.  The  Scripture 
which  he  is  translating,  will  be  scattered  among  mil- 
lions of  the  human  race,  many  of  whom  may  never 
see  a  missionary  of  the  cross.  None  of  the  natives 
of  the  country  possess  the  originals,  nor  could  any 
of  them  read  or  understand  them  if  possessed.  If 
he  transfers  the  word,  no  native  can  understand  its 
meaning  without  personal  instruction  ;  if  he  trans- 
lates it,  the  duty  enjoined  becomes  perfectly  intelli- 
gible.*   There  is,  it  is  true,  in  his  own  land  a  di- 

*  Both  in  India  and  Burmah,  many  conversions  have  taken  place 
from  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures ;  and  the  first  intelligence  of  such 
facts  has  sometimes  been  communicated  to  our  missionaries  by  the 
application  for  baptism  on  the  part  of  natives  who  had  come  from  a 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  75 

versity  of  practice,  and  some  variety  of  views,  re- 
garding the  duty  and  tlie  word  which  enjoins  it. 
But  the  leading  reformers  translated  it ;  the  greater 
part  of  the  languages  of  Europe,  and  the  ancient 
versions  in  the  Asiatic  tongues  have  it  translated. 
With  regard  to  many  other  parts  of  Scripture,  in 
his  own  native  land,  there  is  great  diversity  of 
views.  Contests  concerning  them  at  times  run  so 
high,  that  the  terms  Pelagian,  Antmomian,  and 
even  heretic,  are  freely  bandied  about  among  the 
parties  who  attach  different  meanings  to  different 
passages.  Yet  he  has  not  transferred  these.  He 
has  conscientiously,  in  the  fear  of  God,  expressed 
what  he  believes  to  be  the  meaning  of  the  inspired 
volume.  He  again  examines  the  word  with  the 
most  scrupulous  and  prayerful  anxiety,  and  finding 
not  the  least  reason  to  doubt  its  meaning,  he  trans- 
lates it. 

Another  missionary  is  similarly  situated,  but  his 
deliberations  come  to  a  similar  result.  A  society 
offers  him  five  or  ten  thousand  dollars,  as  the  case 
may  be,  to  be  expended  in  publishing  his  transla- 
tion, if  he  will  transfer,  rather  than  translate  the 
word  concerned.  He  has  no  more  doubt  than  the 
other  of  its  meaning.  He  sees  that  to  transfer  it, 
would  be  to  conceal  that  meaning  from  the  heathen. 
He  feels  that  he  stands  between  God  and  the  soul 

distance  and  introduced  theniselves  for  that  special  purpose.  Had 
the  command  to  be  baptized  been  concealed  in  an  unknown  tongue, 
what  obligation  would  it  have  imposed  ? 


76  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETlf 

of  each  native  who  reads  his  book,  and  that  he  is 
professing  to  communicate  to  the  latter,  to  the  best 
of  his  abihty,  the  xohole  revealed  will  of  heaven. 
If  he  translates  the  word,  and  communicates  the 
will  of  God  in  this  matter,  the  money  will  not  be 
given  ;  if  he  transfers  the  word,  and  conceals  that 
will,  the  boon  will  be  forthcoming.  It  has  been  al- 
ready voted  on  that  express  condition*  His  bro- 
ther missionary  has  had  the  same  proposition  before 

*  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, in  Hartford,  April  27th,  1836,  a  letter  was  presented  from 
Rev.  John  C.  Brigham,  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  American 
Bible  Society,  notifying  the  Board  that  "  on  the  17th  instant,  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Managers,  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  was  ap- 
propriated to  the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  to  promote  the 
circulation  of  the  Scriptures  in  foreign  tongues,"  which  money  would 
be  paid  over,  if  our  foreign  versions  were  conformed  "in  the  prin- 
ciples of  their  translation  to  the  common  English  version,  &c."  on 
which  condition  the  appropriation  had  been  made.  The  grant  was 
conscientiously  declined.  Similar  attempts  were  made  by  the  Bri- 
tish and  Foreign  Bible  Society  to  procure  the  transfer  of  the  words 
in  the  Bengali  version.  The  manner  in  which  the  English  Baptist 
missionaries  reason  upon  the  subject,  evinces  the  deep  anxiety  and 
perplexity  to  which  propositions  of  this  kind  subjected  them.  On 
the  one  hand  was  pressing  pecuniary  necessity ;  on  the  other,  the 
utmost  facility  for  the  publication  and  circulation  of  their  transla- 
tions :  but  with  the  former  was  the  fear  of  God  ;  with  the  latter,  the 
patronage  of  man. 

We  do  not  mean  to  intimate  that  the  Managers  of  the  American 
Bible  Society  designed  to  bribe  or  tempt  the  Baptists  from  their  in- 
tegrity. They  acted  consistently  with  the  erroneous  policy  which 
they  adopted  in  1836,  and  have  since  continued.  But  had  the  Bap- 
tists yielded,  and  transferred  the  words  in  question  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, could  the  Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society  have 
regarded  the  Baptist  versions  b.?,  faithful  ? 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  77 

him,  but  has  thrown  himself  upon  the  protection  of 
the  Author  of  the  book,  and  thus  communicated  the 
will  of  the  xluthor.  The  second  missionary  re- 
members that  the  word  in  question  contains  an  ex- 
press command  of  his  beloved  Lord.  He  reflects 
upon  all  that  his  Lord  did  and  suffered  for  him.  and 
considers  that  he  is  now  communicating  the  will  of 
Jehovah  Jesus  to  fallen,  sinful  man.  He  trembles 
under  the  terrible  threat  accompanying  the  Apo- 
calypse, "  if  any  man  shall  add,"  or,  "  if  any  man 
shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of 
this  book ;"  and  he  fully  believes  that  what  is  ap- 
plicable to  a  portion  of  the  will  of  God,  because  it 
is  from  God,  must  be  in  some  sense  appUcable  to 
the  whole.  He  sees  that  purposely  to  conceal  a 
part  from  the  heathen,  while  professing  to  give  them 
the  whole,  is  almost  identical  with  taking  away  a 
part.  He  feels  deeply  upon  the  subject,  but  the  will 
of  the  Society  is  imperious.  The  five  thousand 
dollars  are  needed  for  the  publication  of  the  book. 
He  yields  and  transfers  the  word. 

In  all  this  comparison,  we  have  not  started  the 
question  whether  the  first  or  the  second  missionary 
is  a  Baptist  or  a  Paedo-baptist,  The  only  question 
to  be  kept  in  view  in  the  comparison,  is,  whether  it 
is  dediling  faithfuUi/  with  God's  word,  when  mak- 
ing a  version  in  a  foreign  tongue,  to  transfer  an 
important  part,  which  a  conscientious  missionary 
believes  himself  capable  of  translati7ig. 

The  Board  of  Managers  are  now  to  consider 
which  of  these  two  versions  is  the  most  faithful, 


78  AMERICAN    BIBLE     SOCIETY 

The  one  has,  in  the  fear  of  God,  communicated 
the  truth  according  to  the  conscientious  connctions 
of  the  translator ;  the  other  has,  from  the  fear  of 
man,  concealed  a  portion  of  that  truth.  Which  is 
the  more  faithful  version  of  the  two  ?  We  leave 
each  manager  to  decide  this  question  between  him- 
self and  his  God. 

Still  we  are  apprehensive  that  the  Managers  do 
not  duly  consider  the  difference  between  a  version 
in  the  language  of  an  intelligent,  literary  people 
like  ours,  and  one  among  a  comparatively  ignorant 
and  heathen  nation.  Here  we  abound  with  living 
teachers  as  well  as  written  comments  on  every 
thing  which  might  otherwise  be  obscure  in  the  text 
of  the  Scriptures.  But  to  make  the  case  of  the 
heathen  our  own  ;  we  may  fancy  a  being  from 
another  planet,  who  has  brought  us  the  oracles  of 
God  in  his  own  language,  and  translated  them  into 
ours.  Should  he  leave  in  his  vernacular  tongue 
the  words  directing  us  what  to  do  when  we  believ- 
ed, when  he  had  been  sent  to  communicate  to  us 
the  whole  truths  what  would  we  judge  of  the  faith- 
fulness  of  his  translation  ?  And  should  another, 
sent  on  a  similar  errand,  to  the  best  of  his  ability, 
in  the  fear  of  God,  translate  the  whole,  who  would 
doubt  which  version  was  the  more  faithful  of  the 
two? 

We  may  here  observe  that  in  our  opinion  the 
Managers  have  acted  decidedly  wrong  in  arguing 
upon  this  as  a  mere  denominational  question.  Pre- 
viously to  the  action  of  the  Bible  Societies  upon  the 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.'  79 

subject,  more  Paedo-baptist  versions  translated  the 
word  fiaTiriXoo  than  transferred  it,  and  nearly  all  these 
versions  gave  it  the  same  meaning  expressed  in  the 
Baptist  versions.*     Among  those,  also,  who  use  the 
English  version,  a  large  number  of  Paedo-baptist 
scholars  of  great  note,  have  given  their  sanction  to 
the  same  meaning.     It  is,  therefore,  not  in  accord- 
ance with  the  discretion  and  modesty  which  should 
characterize  a  Board  of  Managers,  to  assume  as  a 
fact,  that,  because  many  Pcedo-baptists  sprinkle  or 
pour,  all  other  denominations  than  ours  are  unable 
to  use  our  versions.     The  Managers,  in  a  part  of  the 
circular  which  we  shall  hereafter  examine,  admit 
that  in  the  German  and  Dutch  Bibles,  the  word  in 
question  is  translated,  and  the  translated  word  once 
meant  to  immerse.     This  once  must  be  referred  to 
the  times  of  Lutlier,  who,  as  well  as  other  contempo- 
raneous scholars,  expressly  declares  it.     The  Ma- 
nagers have  thus  placed  themselves  in  a  perplex- 
ing dilemma.     Either  the  whole  of  inland  Europe 
must  have  immersed  at  the  time  when  these  ver- 
sions came  into  general  use,  or  the  versions  must 
have  been  used  by  those  who  sprinkled  or  poured. 
If  the  latter  be  admitted,  the  argument  that  other 
denominations   cannot  use    the   Baptist    versions, 
falls  to   the  ground.      If  the  former  horn  of  the 
dilemma  be  adopted,  then  at  the  time  of  the  refor- 
mation, all  the  reformed  churches  of  inland  Europe 
immersed,  and  the  rite  has  since  been  changed  to 
sprinkling  or  pouring,  and  all  the  various  vernacu- 

*  Look  at  Appendix. 


80  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

lar  words  in  the  different  languages,  having  refer- 
ence to  it,  have,  within  four  hundred  years,  lost 
their  meaning. 

We  are  Baptist,  both  in  sentiment  and  practice, 
but  we  never  desire  to  claim  as  authority  for  our 
views,  more  than  the  strict  truth  of  history  will 
yield  us.  If  the  Managers  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  can  prove  that  all  who  used  the  German, 
the  Dutch  and  the  Danish  versions,  at  the  time  of 
their  publication,  that  is,  at  and  subsequent  to  the 
reformation,  invariably  practised  immersion,  it  may, 
perhaps,  have  a  beneficial  effect  upon  the  minds  of 
Pcedo- baptists,  to  publish  the  proof  Still  it  would 
be  difficult  to  explain  how,  under  such  circumstan- 
ces, all  the  words  relating  to  the  subject  have  now 
lost  their  meaning.  If  such  a  change  of  meaning 
were  possible,  it  could  not,  by  any  possibihty,  have 
been  instantaneous,  and  it  must  have  followed  in 
consequence  of  a  change  of  the  rite.  But  when  the 
rite  was  changed  in  any  instance,  either  the  change 
in  the  meaning  of  the  words  took  place  instantane- 
ously, or  those  who  practised  sprinkling  or  pouring, 
used  Bibles  in  which  the  translated  words  concern- 
ing baptism  "  signified  immerse."  The  former  of 
the  last  two  propositions,  no  reasonable  man  will 
maintain;  the  latter  totally  overthrows  the  argu- 
ment of  the  Managers  of  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety. 

5.  It  must  have  been  remarked  that  we  have 
carefully  abstained  from  the  imputation  of  any  dis- 
honourable motive  to  the  Managers  of  the  Ameri- 


AND    THE    BAPTIST3.  81 

can  Bible  Society  in  their  treatment  of  the  Baptists. 
Every  candid  man  will  acknowledge  that  it  would 
have  comported  with  the  dignity  of  the  Managers 
to  have  pursued  a  similar  course  towards  our  de- 
nomination. Our  readers  are  all  aware  that  the 
Rev.  S.  H.  Cone  is  the  President  of  the  American 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  a  gentleman  in  whose 
character,  among  many  other  highly  estimable  traits, 
stands  pre-eminent  that  of  candor.  No  one  can 
read  the  fifth  section  without  the  impression  that, 
while  an  indirect  imputation  is  thrown  upon  all  our 
denomination,  the  President  of  our  Society  is  singled 
out,  as  having,  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  appropria- 
tions for  the  Burmese  version,  dishonourably  con- 
cealed the  fact,  that  it  translated  ^a^rr/^w  wimerse* 
We  hope  that,  for  the  honour  of  the  Board,  it  will 
at  some  day  appear,  that  this  paragraph  was  hastily 
read  and  approved,  and  its  real  import  was  not  ap- 
prehended at  the  moment,  except  by  the  heart  of 
him  v/ho  penned  it. 

To  the  history  of  the  circumstances  connecting 
our  versions  with  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  the  Calcutta  Auxiliary,  and  the  American 
Bible  Society,  the  following  particulars  must  here 
be  added  in  order  to  understand  how  far  either  Mr. 
Cone,  or  the  denomination  to  which  he  belongs,  has 
been  guilty  of  concealment  in  this  matter. 

In  the  Fourth  Report  of  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety, (1820)  page  51,  is  the  following  paragraph: 
'•The  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  having 
offered  five  hundred  pounds  sterling  for  the  first 
8 


82  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIFTY 

thousand  copies  of  every  approved  translation  of  the 
New  Testament  into  any  dialect  of  India,  in  which 
no  translation  had  been  previously  printed,  the  Se- 
rampore  translators  are  mentioned  by  the  Commit- 
tee of  that  Society  as  having  satisfactorily  complied 
with  the  terms  proposed  by  accomplishing  and 
printing  three  versions,  the  Pushtoo,  the  Kunkun, 
and  the  Telinga  or  Teloogo  ;  by  which,  on  the  pre- 
sentation of  the  required  number  of  copies  of  each, 
they  are  entitled  to  ^1500  sterling  from  the  Com- 
mittee." 

»-  This  record  is  made  seven  years  after  "  the  Com- 
mittee of  that  Society"  had  been  officially  informed 
that  the  missionaries  at  Serampore  always  transla- 
ted §a7Z7iZoi)  inwiersc. 

In  the  Fifth  Report  of  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety (1821)  on  page  44th,  is  the  following  record  : 

"  An  interesting  communication  has  recently  been 
received  by  your  Managers  from  those  excellent 
men  who  are  engaged  in  translating  and  publishing 
the  Holy  Scriptures  at  Serampore.  Twenty-six 
years  have  now  elapsed  since  they  commenced  their 
work  of  translating  the  Scriptures  into  the  languages 
of  India.  They  have  now  published  the  whole 
Bible  in  five  of  those  languages ;  the  New  Testa- 
ment and  some  parts  of  the  Old  in  ten  more  ;  in  six 
more  the  New  Testament  is  brought  more  than  half 
through  the  press  ;  and  in  ten  more  some  one  of 
the  gospels  is  printed ;  and  in  several,  all  four  of 
the  gospels." 

The  Benfjali  version,  our  readers  all  know,  was 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  83 

the  first  prepared  by  "  these  excellent  men"  (Bap- 
tists) at  Serampore.  '•  T\venty-six  years,*'  the  Re- 
port of  the  American  Bible  Society  for  1821  (only 
the  fifth  year  of  its  existence)  says,  '-have  now 
elapsed'"  since  its  commencement,  and  yet  in  1835, 
it  is  treated  by  the  Managers  as  a  version  then  to  be 
fnade. 

On  page  45th,  of  the  same  Report  (1 821)  the  INIa- 
nagers  say.: 

'•  The  Rev.  William  Ward,  of  Serampore,  having 
made  a  visit  to  the  United  States,  in  the  coarse  of 
last  winter,  the  Managers  gladly  embraced  the  op- 
portunity of  presenting  to  him,  and  through  him  to 
his  fellow  labourers.  Doctors  Carey  and  Marbhman. 
copies  of  the  best  edition  of  the  Bible  published  by 
the  American  Bible  Society,  as  an  expression  of 
their  esteem,  and  of  their  high  approbation  of  the 
long  and  successful  exertions  of  these  servants  of 
Godj  in  translating  and  diffusing  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures," 

On  the  6tli  page  of  the  Ninth  Report  (1825)  ap- 
pears this  memorandum : 

"  The  Society's  Library  has  been  enriched  by  a 
copy  of  the  Bible  in  the  Chinese  language  (Dr. 
Marshman's  Translation)  presented  by  Messrs.  Ca- 
rey, Marshman  and  Ward,  of  Serampore." 

In  the  Fourteenth  Report  (1830)  page  53,  the 
Managers  remark : 

''  In  the  last  Report  it  was  mentioned  that  an  ap- 
propriation of  §1200  had  been  made  to  the  Ameri- 
can Board  of  Baptist  Missions,  for  the  purpose  of 


84  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

publishing  the  Scriptures  in  the  Burman  Empire, 
where  this  body  have  a  promising  Mission.  This 
money  has  been  remitted,  and  with  fervent  prayers 
to  the  Author  of  tlie  Bible  that  he  will  open  a  wide 
and  effectual  door  for  the  reception  of  his  truth.  A 
far  greater  sum  than  the  present  might  be  advan- 
tageously sent  to  the  same  field,  were  it  in  the  power 
of  the  Board  to  furnish  it." 

On  pages  42  and  43  of  the  Seventeenth  Report 
(1833)  they  state: 

"  From  the  Baptist  Mission  stations  in  Burmah 
pleasing  evidence  continues  to  be  received  as  to  the 
facilities  they  afford  for  circulating  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures. The  New  Testament  has  there  been  trans- 
lated by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Judson,  and  also  different  por- 
tions of  the  Old." 

These  are  only  a  portion  of  the  notices  of  our  ver- 
sions by  the  American  Board  before  1835.  Now, 
we  ask  whether  it  is  probable^  that  while  such  fa- 
vourable notices  were  published,  the  Managers 
never  thought  of  making  themselves  acquainted 
with  the  fact,  that  ^ami^m  was  translated  ?  Having 
their  word  to  the  contrary,  we  do  not  here  assert 
that  the  fact  was  officially  communicated  to  them. 
But  were  they  destitute  of  any  of  the  ordinary  means 
of  obtaining  the  information  if  they  wished  it  7 
Were  there  not  Baptist  members  of  their  Board  ? 
Had  they  not  personal  intercourse  with  Mr.  Ward, 
one  of  the  translators  7  Were  they  not  in  constant 
official  intercourse  with  the  Committee  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  who  were  officially  in- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  85 

formed  of  the  fact  ?  Had  they  not  dh'ect  communi- 
cation with  the  Enghsh  and  American  Baptist  mis- 
sionaries who  were  themselves  the  translators  ? 

The  question  will  hardly  be  asked,  '•  Was  it  pro- 
bable that  the  Baptist  missionaries  would  translate 
^aniitoi  ?"  No  man  who  claim-S  a  tithe  of  the  intel- 
ligence of  any  Manager  of  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety would  suppose,  upon  the  least  reflection,  that 
Baptist  missionaries,  in  translating  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures into  a  heathen  tongue,  would  leave  in  an  un- 
known language  all  the  words  relating  to  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism.  That  such  an  anomaly  should 
take  place,  and  that  all  our  translators  and  our  mis- 
sionary boards  should  agree  to  it,  and  that  the  deno- 
mination in  England  and  America  should  quietly  ac- 
quiesce, is  an  imagination  too  gross  for  any  as  much 
acquainted.as  the  Board  of  Managers  must  be  with 
Baptist  principles,  to  dwell  upon  for  a  moment  even 
as  a  hypothesis. 

But  the  Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society 
were  not  in  this  matter  left  to  inference,  however 
obvious,  however  unavoidable.  In  April,  1S33,  the 
American  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  unani- 
mously passed  the  following  resolutions  : 

'■^Resolved,  That  the  Board  feel  it  to  be  their  duty 
to  adopt  all  prudent  measures  to  give  to  the  heathen 
the  pure  word  of  God  in  their  own  languages  ;  and 
to  furnish  their  missionaries  with  all  the  means  in 
their  power  to  make  their  translations  as  exact  a  re- 
presentation of  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  may 
be  possible. 

8* 


86  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

"  Resolved^  That  all  the  missionaries  of  the 
Board,  who  are,  or  who  shall  be,  engaged  in  trans- 
lating the  Scriptures,  be  instructed  to  endeavour,  by 
earnest  prayer  and  diligent  study,  to  ascertain  the 
precise  meaning  of  the  original  text ;  to  express  that 
meaning  as  exactly  as  the  nature  of  the  languages, 
into  which  they  shall  translate  the  Bible,  will  per- 
mit, and  to  transfer  no  words  which  are  capable  of 
being  literally  translated.'''' 

Every  proper  degree  of  publicity  was  immedi- 
ately given  to  these  resolutions.  They  were  printed 
in  our  Missionary  Magazine  for  the  following  month, 
copies  of  which  were  laid  on  the  table  of  the  Board 
of  the  American  Bible  Society  by  S.  H.  Cone,  at 
that  time  one  of  the  Corresponding  Secretaries  of 
the  Institution,  and  were  furnished  to  any  one  who 
wished,  of  the  individual  Managers.  After  the  pub- 
lication of  these  resolutions,  how  can  the  Managers 
consistently  profess  their  ignorance  that  the  Bap- 
tists translated^  and  did  not  transfer  the  words  con- 
cerning baptism  ?  Yet  at  the  anniversary  in  May, 
1831,  the  Society  resolved  to  distribute  the  Bible 
among  all  the  accessible  population  of  the  globe 
within  the  shortest  practicable  period  ;  and  by  direc- 
tion of  the  Board  of  Managers,  a  circular  was  ad- 
dressed to  missionaries  and  missionary  societies  of 
different  religious  denominations,  encouraging  them 
to  expect,  that  whenever  the  Old  Testament  or  the 
New,  or  other  book  of  the  Bible,  should  be  correctly 
translated  and  ready  (without  note  or  comment)  for 
the  press,  they  should  receive  the  aid  requisite  for 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  87 

the  publication  of  the  same.  In  consequence  of  this 
circular,  the  American  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  applied  for  aid  in  behalf  of  the  Burman 
Scriptures,  and  in  1835,  two  years  after  the  joas- 
sage  of  the  resolutions  hy  the  Baptist  Board^  seven 
thousand  dollars  were  granted  for  those  Baptist  ver- 
sions. Nineteenth  Report  of  the  American  Bible 
Society,  (1835)  pages  52  and  53. 

We  do  not  desire  to  deduce  the  slightest  inference 
which  the  facts  before  us  do  not  most  unquestiona- 
bly warrant.  The  Managers  of  the  American  Bi- 
ble Society  have  more  than  once  plead  ignorance  in 
excuse  for  their  measures  ;  but  ignorance  under  the 
circumstances  which  we  have  developed,  is  inexcu- 
sable. Shall  it  be  said  that  a  body  of  forty  or  fifty 
men,  having  charge  of  an  institution  which  at  the 
time  was  second  to  none  in  America,  remained 
twenty  years  ignorant  of  the  character  of  versions 
on  what  they  now  regard  as  a  most  vital  point,  and 
yet  were  from  time  to  time  commending  them,  and 
sometimes  making  donations  to  them  ?  Shall  it  be 
said  that  all  this  time  they  had  every  opportunity  of 
informing  themselves  in  that  of  which  they  were 
ignorant,  and  neglected  to  do  it  ?  Shall  it  be  said 
that  every  thing  in  the  character,  the  preaching,  the 
writing  and  the  conversation  of  our  denomination, 
was  calculated  to  enlighten  them,  and  they  knew  us 
not  while  associated  with  us  ?  Shall  it  be  said  that 
they  grant  money  from  time  to  time  to  a  Missionary 
Board,  and  not  one  among  them  makes  himself  ac- 
quainted with  the  doings  of  that  Board  ?     Do  the 


88  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society  so  conduct 
their  business  that  they  do  not  esteem  it  necessary'' 
to  read  the  reports  of  missionary  societies,  or  their 
religious  magazines  ?  And  then  shall  they  insinu- 
ate that  the  Baptists  have  deceived  them  all  along, 
and  especially  select  the  President  of  the  American 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society  against  whom  to  direct 
such  a  shaft  ? 

Here  it  may  be  asked,  why  did  Messrs.  Pearce 
and  Yates  mention  that  ^anzi^co  was  translated  ?  The 
reply  is  obvious.  The  Bengali  version,  after  having 
been  patronized  by  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society  and  the  Calcutta  Auxiliary  from  the  com- 
mencement of  their  existence  with  a  knowledge  of 
the  fact  that /3a;rr/^co,  was  translated,  was  eventualh^ 
rejected,  not  because  any  new  information  was  com- 
municated concerning  it,  but  because  some  of  the 
missionaries  of  the  Independents  found  Baptist  views 
rapidly  spreading  in  India,  and  wished  to  check  them. 
The  influence  of  the  Independents  and  Churchmen 
caused  those  Bible  Societies  to  refuse  any  further 
support  to  versions  that  translated  ^utttiXco.  It 
was  very  proper  therefore  for  the  missionaries,  in 
applying  to  the  American  Bible  Society,  to  mention 
on  what  ground  aid  was  withheld  by  the  others. 
But  it  was  exceedingly  hazardous  for  the  Mana- 
gers of  the  American  Bible  Society  to  follow  a  sec- 
tarian example,  and  then  to  protess  that  they  had 
been  nearly  twenty  years  acting  in  utter  ignorcmce 
of  matters  which  it  behooved  them  to  know,  and 
which  it  required  scarcely  the  semblance  of  exertion 
to  learn. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  89 

To  make  this  subject  clear  to  the  most  obtuse 
mindj  let  us  take  a  case  strictly  analogous.  The 
American  Sunday  School  Union  is  an  institution 
embracing  all  evangelical  denominations.  The  Bap- 
tists have  co-operated  in  it  without  difficulty,  from 
the  period  of  its  organization.  Thousands  of  Sab- 
bath Schools  have  been  established  and  sustained 
by  it,  and  a  very  fair  proportion  among  our  denomi- 
nation. In  the  latter  it  is  constantly  taught  that 
there  is  only  onefaith^  one  Lord^  one  baptism^  that 
is,  as  we  understand  it,  that  immersion,  and  only 
immersion,  is  baptism.  No  official  communication 
of  this  fact  has  ever,  to  our  knowledge,  been  made 
to  the  Managers  of  the  American  Sunday  School 
Union.  Yet  have  we  no  apprehensions  that  when 
that  institution  is  sufficiently  strong  to  do  without 
the  Baptists,  the  Managers  will  decline  either  to  esta- 
blish or  sustain  any  schools,  in  which  the  doctrine 
is  taught  that  immersion  alone  is  baptism,  because 
that  doctrine  is  not  received  by  all  the  denomina- 
tions represented  in  the  Union.  Least  of  all  do  we 
fear,  that  if  such  an  untoward  event  should  take 
place,  the  Managers  would  pretend  that  we  had  all 
along  deceived  them,  or  kept  themi  in  ignorance 
upon  this  subject. 

We  are  informed  in  this  section  that,  when  the 
Committee  on  Distribution  were  unable  to  recom- 
mend any  course  to  the  Board,  a  Special  Committee 
was  appointed,  consisting  of  seven  members,  '•  a 
Presbyterian,  an  Episcopalian,  a  Baptist,  a  Metho- 


00  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

dist,   a  Moravian,   one   of   the  Reformed    Dutch 
ChurcHj  and  one  from  the  Society  of  Friends." 

It  is  customary,  we  beUeve,  in  deUberative  bodies, 
when  a  question  occurs,  on  which  there  is  a  differ- 
ence of  opinion,  and  a  Special  Committee  is  appoint- 
ed to  discuss  it  and  report  thereon,  to  constitute  that 
Committee  so  as  to  represent  as  fairly  as  possible 
both  sides  of  the  question.  Thus  in  Congress  when 
a  Committee  is  appointed  on  a  matter  affecting  the 
Administration,  it  is  usually  reprobated  as  violent 
party  action,  if  more  than  four  out  of  seven,  or  five 
out  of  nine,  be  selected  from  one  side.  By  nearly 
equalizing  the  representation  of  interests  in  the 
Committee,  a  full  and  free  discussion  of  the  point  at 
issue  is  secured,  and  the  nearest  approach  possible  to 
impartiality  is  attained.  In  the  case  before  us,  six 
Anti-baptists*  were  put  on  Committee  with  one  Bap- 
tist, and  such  a  selection  of  members  made  for  that 
Committee  as  to  give  the  whole  a  denominational 

*  Wo  use  the  term  "Anti-baptist,"  not  in  disrespect  or  reproach. 
"  Pfedo-baptist"  is  not  so  appropriate  in  the  present  instance,  because 
the  Friends  or  Quakers,  represented  in  the  Committee,  do  not  pro- 
perly come  under  that  appellation,  and  the  question  at  issue  did  not 
regard  Ptedo-baptism  or  the  baptism  of  children.  But  six  of  the 
Committee  represented  bodies,  whose  general  practice,  as  regards 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  is  opposed  to  that  of  the  Baptists.  In  re- 
spect to  the  Friend,  the  selection  was  peculiarly  unfortunate.  He 
represented  a  body  who  deny  the  present  obligation  of  the  ordinances, 
and  of  course  it  might  have  been  expected  that  he  would  prefer  to 
conceal  the  injunction  relative  to  one  of  them  under  an  unknown 
tongue.  Were  the  same  course  pursued  with  the  observance  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  he  could  scarcely  oppose  it  from  conscientious  mo- 
tives. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  91 

aspect.  We  have  before  said  that  we  considered  the 
Board  as  decidedly  wrong  in  making  a  denomina- 
tional affair  of  the  matter.  In  the  Board  of  a  gene- 
ral Bible  Society,  every  thing  which  is  likely  to 
awaken  denominational  jealousy  ought  to  be  studi- 
ously avoided.  The  general  question  before  the  So- 
ciety growing  out  of  the  case  of  the  Bengali  version, 
was  this.  On  points  of  Philology,  involving  doc- 
trines or  practice,  in  which  evangelical  Christians, 
supporting  the  American  Bible  Society,  differ  from 
each  other,  what  course  should  be  followed  in  the 
translation  of  the  Scripture  ?  Should  the  words,  on 
the  supposed  meaning  of  which  the  difference  de- 
pends, be  translated  from  the  original  Scriptures  or 
transferred  from  the  English  version  ?  The  Com- 
mittee to  examine  and  report  upon  the  principles  in- 
volved in  such  a  question  as  the  latter,  ought,  in  our 
apprehension  to  have  numbered  at  least  three  out  of 
seven  in  favour  of  translation,  no  matter  to  what 
denomination  they  belonged.  But  to  appoint  six 
Anti-baptists  out  of  seven,  to  consider  the  claims  of 
a  Baptist  version  upon  the  patronage  of  the  Society, 
and  to  select  one  from  each  denomination,  as  a  sort 
of  representative,  who  was  to  feel,  not  that  he  sat 
upon  Committee  as  an  individual  to  judge  of  a 
general  principle  of  abstract  right,  but  that  he  acted 
in  behalf  of  the  sect  or  body  of  men  to  which  he 
belonged,  was,  in  our  apprehension,  the  most  direct 
method  of  arousing  a  sectarian  spirit  in  the  minds 
of  all  concerned. 


92  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

An  illustration  from  common  life  may  conduce  to 
render  this  principle  clear  to  every  understanding. 

In  ordinary  circumstances  two  men  in  private  con- 
versation have  no  hesitation  in  expressing  their  re- 
spective views  of  a  matter  on  which  they  differ,  and, 
if  both  are  candid,  the  one  who  has  truth  on  his 
side,  has  some  prospect  of  convincing  the  other. 
But  let  the  latter  have  two  coadjutors  to  assist  him 
in  argument,  is  it  not  likely  that  th6y  will  keep  each 
other  in  countenance,  and  overpower  the  former  by 
the  multiplicity,  if  not  by  the  force  of  their  argu- 
ments ?  If,  then,  instead  of  three,  there  are  six  on 
one  side,  while  the  man  who  is  opposed  to  them  is 
left  without  an  assistant  in  word  or  counsel,  and 
without  the  presence  even  of  a  spectator  to  express 
assent  to  truth  and  dissent  from  error,  is  it  not  in 
the  very  nature  of  the  human  mind,  that  the  six 
will  strengthen  each  other  in  their  original  opinions, 
rather  than  yield  to  an  individual  who  is  opposed 
to  them  ? 

We  grant,  indeed,  that  when  the  six  Anti-baptists 
were  appointed  on  Committee  with  one  Baptist  on 
a  question  involving  the  rights  of  the  latter,  the  for- 
mer were  selected  as  men  of  surpassing  intellect. 
But  the  greater  the  intellect,  the  more  danger  to  be 
apprehended  from  it  when  swayed  by  interest  or 
prejudice.  In  the  present  case  both  combined  their 
influence.  The  six  acting  in  behalf  of  their  re- 
spective denominations,  were  interested  to  check  the 
propagation  of  Baptist  sentiments,  and  influenced 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  93 

by  the  manner  in  which  Paedo-baptists  generally 
allow  themselves  to  talk  of  Baptists  as  a  people  of 
little  intelligence  and  easily  led,  were  prejudiced 
against  the  body  of  the  denomination.  Having 
therefore  secured  the  assent  of  two  or  three  intelli- 
gent men  among  us,  they  felt  little  apprehension  of 
any  serious  consequences  from  their  decision.  Un- 
der these  circumstances  they  recommended  the  re- 
solutions afterwards  adopted  by  the  Board. 

The  noble  stand  of  the  Managers  of  an  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society,  should  have  been  :  "  We  know 
no  denomination  in  our  constitution,  and  we  are 
determined  not  to  recognise  any  in  our  proceedings. 
All  who  contribute  a  certain  amount  of  funds  be. 
come  members  of  our  Society,  and  we  design  al- 
ways to  dispense  those  funds  in  strict  accordance 
with  our  views  of  the  constitution,  and  without  any 
regard  to  the  practices  or  prejudices  of  this  or  that 
denomination." 

The  course  which  the  Managers  did  pursue, 
produced  the  precise  result  which  might  have  been 
anticipated.  The  representatives  of  the  different 
denominations  adopted  such  views  as  might  have 
been  expected  to  please  the  majority  of  those  whom 
they  respectively  represented.  General  principles 
could  no  longer  be  seen.  When  the  Committee  on 
Distribution  had  the  matter  before  them,  they 
"  were  unable  to  recommend  any  course  which 
would  satisfy  all  concerned  ;"  but  when  a  Presby- 
terian as  such  was  appointed,  an  Episcopalian  as 
siichj  and  a  Baptist,  &.c.,  as  such,  the  inabihty  va- 

9 


94  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

nished.  The  six  Anti-baptists  brought  in  an  Anti- 
baptist  report,  and  the  Baptist  presented  a  minority 
report. 

The  unfortunate  position  assumed  by  the  Board, 
is  that  of  an  ecclesiastical  council  representing  dif- 
ferent sects  and  legislating  on  the  points  of  differ- 
ence. We  have  seen  that  the  question  was  one  of 
a  general  nature,  and  might  with  as  great  propriety 
be  applied  to  differences  of  opinion  regarding  any 
other  portion  of  Scripture  as  to  the  passages  re- 
lating to  baptism.  It  would  have  been  well  to  have 
taken  it  in  its  general  aspect  rather  than  to  have 
seized  upon  a  particular  feature,  in  which  six  deno- 
minations could  have  been  arrayed  against  one* 
On  the  abstract  question  of  translating  or  trans- 
ferring all  disputed  passages,  the  merits  of  the  con- 
troversy properly  depended,  and  had  they  been  thus 
examined,  we  think  the  decision  would  have  been 
unanimous  in  favour  of  translation.  But  now,  the 
Managers  have  opened  a  wide  door  for  controversy. 
The  Presbyterians  of  the  Old  and  New  school  have 
separated,  and  their  differences  of  opinion,  and  of 
practice,  are  already  greater  than  those  of  the  Pres- 
byterians and  Dutch  Reformed.  According  to  the 
principles  of  action  adopted  by  the  Board,  each  of 
the  General  Assemblies  will  henceforth  be  entitled 
to  a  representation  on  a  committee  upon  translation. 
We  know  that  there  are  many  passages  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments,  especially  in  the  Epistle  to^ 
the  Romans,  which  an  Old  School  man  understands 
and  must  translate,  if  he  translates  them  at  all,,  dif- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  95 

ferently  from  a  New  School  man.  Suppose  that 
a  missionary  connected  with  one  Assembly  finds 
fault  with  the  translations  made  by  those  connected 
with  the  other,  and  insists  that  his  people  cannot 
use  them.  He  is  novv^  entitled  to  demand,  accord- 
ing to  precedent,  a  committee  representing  denomi- 
nations. Denominational  strife  is  again  excited. 
The  Methodist  representative,  the  Moravian  Repre- 
sentative, the  Quaker  representative,  and  the  Epis- 
copalian representative,  peradventure  array  them- 
selves with  the  New  School,  and  insist  that  the  Old 
School  shall  transfer  all  the  disputed  passages,  or 
the  patronage  of  the  Society  will  be  withdrawn 
from  their  versions.  The  latter  refuse,  and  they 
are  cut  off,  as  the  Baptists  have  been-^  without  a 
penny.  The  Board  have  then  to  go  on  as  they 
have  in  the  case  of  paTzrii^co,  and  insist  that  all  the 
translations  which  they  patronize,  shall  transfer  the 
disputed  passages.  But,  if  the  j)rinciple  he  fully 
carried  out^  the  case  cannot  stop  here.  The  Pres- 
byterian representative  and  the  Congregational  re- 
presentative dispute  with  the  Episcopalian  upon 
other  passages  and  individual  words.  By  the  same 
rule  these  must  be  transferred.  The  Quaker  dis- 
putes upon  still  more.  They  must  all  be  trans- 
ferred. We  need  not  pursue  the  history.  If  each 
case  in  which  translators  conscientiously  differ, 
were  examined  with  the  same  denominational  jea- 
lousy, which  commenced  in  India  the  opposition  to 
the  Baptist  versions,  we  have  no  hesitation  in  af- 
firming, that  the  principle  which  demands  the  trans- 


96  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

fer  of  ^aTZTi^G)  and  its  cognates,  would  require  the 
transfer  of  so  large  a  portion  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  to  render  it  almost  useless  to  the  heathen. 
Who,  with  such  considerations  before  him,  does  not 
see  that  the  principle  itself  is  wrong.  We  here 
copy  from  the  Circular  : 

"The  whole  subject  was  now  postponed  for  a  further  and  careful 
consideration.  The  Managers  were  not  yet  disposed  to  adopt  the 
resolutions  submitted,  as  they  hoped,  by  a  prudent  delay,  for  the  ad- 
justment of  the  difficulty  which  had  arisen,  in  a  way  satisfactory  to 
all  who  were  interested. 

''Before  the  next  meeting  of  the  Board,  in  September,  several  let- 
ters were  received  from  Baptist  clergymen,  in  whose  judgment  they 
had  great  regard,  expressing  the  hope  that  no  hasty  measures  would 
be  adopted,  and  suggesting  some  changes  and  additions  in  relation  to 
the  pending  resolutions,  which  they  had  seen  in  a  Baptist  paper. 

"  These  letters  were  laid  before  the  Board,  and  the  proposed 
changes  were  made.  After  frequent  postponements  and  much  deli- 
beration, (more  probably  than  they  ever  before  bestowed  on  any  one 
topic,)  at  a  special  meeting  in  February,  1836,  they  adopted  the  fol- 
lowing preamble  and  resolutions — resolutions  which  had  been  pre- 
pared, or  modified,  and  approved  by  some  of  the  most  intelligent  and 
worthy  Baptist  clergymen  in  America. 

'•  By  the  Constitution  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  its  Managers 
are,  in  the  circulating  the  Holy  Scriptures,  restricted  to  such  copies 
as  are  "  without  note  or  comment ;"  and  in  the  English  language,  to 
the  "  version  in  common  use."  The  design  of  these  restrictions 
clearly  seems  to  have  been  to  simplify  and  mark  out  the  duties  of  the 
Society,  so  that  all  religious  denominations  of  which  it  is  composed 
might  harmoniously  unite  in  performing  these  duties. 

"  As  the  Managers  are  now  called  to  aid  extensively  in  circulating 
the  Sacred  Scriptures  in  languages  other  than  the  English,  they  deem 
it  their  duty,  in  conformity  with  the  obvious  spirit  of  their  compact, 
to  adopt  the  following  resolutions  as  the  rule  of  their  conduct  in  mak- 
ing appropriations  for  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  in  all  foreign 
tongues.^* 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS,  97 

The  most  fruitful  source  of  error  is  the  want  of 
precision  in  language.  This  fault  has  been  more 
than  once  remarked  in  the  circular  before  us.  The 
*'  several  letters  received  from  Baptist  clergymen/' 
in  the  foregoing  extract,  were  letters,  as  we  have 
been  informed  by  members  of  the  Board,  from  tivo 
individuals^  and  the  '•  some  of  the  most  intelligent, 
worthy  Baptist  clergymen  in  America"  who  ^'  pre- 
pared or  modified"  the  resolutions,  were  these  two 
individuals.  That  individual  Baptists,  who  were 
not  members  of  the  acting  Board,  should  form  an 
erroneous  opinion  when  the  matter  was  first  pro- 
posed to  them,  is  not  remarkable,  but  that  the  Ma- 
nagers of  the  American  Bible  Society  should  men- 
tion the  hasty  opinions  of  several  or  some  Baptists 
as  a  vindication  of  their  conduct,  certainly  deserves 
comment  If  the  argument  be  really  a  valid  one, 
should  they  not  have  informed  those  who  read  their 
vindication  of  the  several  hundred  thousands  of 
Baptists,  having  among  them  nearly  all  "  of  the 
most  intelligent,  worthy  Baptist  clergymen  in  Ame- 
rica," and  Great  Britain,  and  India,  who  condemn 
the  course  of  the  Managers  ?  Should  they  not  have 
mentioned,  as  of  equal  validity,  that  some  (we  use 
the  term  for  tico  in  imitation  of  good  example,)  of 
their  own  number,  themselves  Psedo-baptists,  dis- 
approved their  course  ?  Should  they  not  have  men- 
tioned that  many  Psedo-baptists.  out  of  the  Board, 
express  their  decided  dissent  ?  This  argument,  if,  in 
a  question  regarding  \hQ  faithfulness  of  translating 
or  transferring  the  word  of  God,  it  ought  to  have 
9* 


98  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

weight,  has  certainly  not  been  impartially  present- 
ed by  the  Managers. 

The  first  paragraph  of  the  preamble  is  objection- 
able on  account  of  the  fault  which  we  have  noticed 
in  all  these  proceedings.  The  Society  is  described 
as  '•'  composed"  "  of  religious  denominations."  This 
is  an  obvious  error  which  a  reference  to  its  consti- 
tution will  expose.  No  mention  of  denominations 
is  made  in  that  instrument.  Many,  we  doubt  not, 
have  been  members  of  the  Society  who  belong  to 
no  "  rehgious  denomination,"  and  many  more  who 
could  not  be  classed  with  the  denominations  repre- 
sented in  the  committee. 

The  first  line  of  the  second  paragraph  corrobo- 
rates (we  presume  unintentionally)  a  gross  error 
which  has  deceived  numbers.  "  As  the  Managers 
are  now  called  to  aid  extensively  in  circulating 
the  Scriptures  in  other  languages  than  the  En- 
glish," &/C. 

The  Managers  had  been  "  extensively"  aiding  in 
this  for  many  years.  The  fact  is  that  they  aided 
Tiiore  extensively  for  several  years  before  the  pas- 
sage of  the  resolutions  than  since.  In  1832 — 1833 
they  gave  for  foreign  distribution  $18,000  ;  the  next 
year  $27,485  ;  the  next  year  $37,000.  In  1838, 
they  gave  for  the  same  purpose  $17,000  ;  in  1839 
$19,465,  and  in  1840,  $10,549. 

"  Resolved,  That  in  appropriating  money  for  the  translating,  print- 
ing, or  distributing  the  Sacred  Scriptures  in  foreign  languages,  the 
Managers  feel  at  liberty  to  encourage  only  such  versions  as  conform 
in  the  principles  of  their  translation  to  the  common  English  versiop, 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  99 

at  least  so  far  as  that  all  the  religious  denominations  represented  in 
this  Society  can  consistently  use  and  circulate  said  versions  in  their 
several  schools  and  communities. 

"  Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  the  above  preamble  and  resolution  be 
sent  to  each  of  the  missionary  boards  accustomed  to  receive  pecuniary 
grants  from  this  Society,  with  a  request  that  the  same  may  be  trans- 
mitted to  their  respective  mission  stalions^where  the  Scriptures  are  in 
process  of  translation,  and  also  that  the  said  several  missionary  boards 
be  informed  that  their  applications  for  aid  be  accompanied  with  a 
declaration  that  the  versions  which  they  propose  to  circulate  are  ex- 
ecuted in  accordance  with  the  above  resolution." 

The  first  consideration  that  strikes  a  reader,  when 
perusing  these  resolutions,  is  their  indefiniteness. 
They  resemble  ^utitiXo),  transferred  into  a  heathen 
tongue,  and  require  that  some  one  should  go  with 
them  and  explain  their  meaning  to  those  who  re- 
ceive them.  It  must  be  remembered,  that  the  Ma- 
nagers permitted  precisely  four  years  to  escape  after 
their  passage,  before  issuing  the  present  circular, 
which  in  part  explains  the  circumstances  that  call- 
ed them  forth,  and  thus  gives  some  idea  of  their 
meaning.  Without  some  accompanying  explana- 
tion, w4io  would  suspect  that  the  design,  and  the 
sole  design,  of  the  first  resolution  was,  to  compel 
the  translators  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  to  transfer 
^7tti^(o  and  its  cognates  ?  Of  course  when  '•  a  copy'' 
was  sent  to  a  Missionary  Board,  the  Secretary  was 
obliged  to  accompany  it  with  information  to  that 
effect :  otherwise  it  would  lead  to  a  world  of  con- 
jecture. Thus  the  American  Bible  Society  and  the 
Pgedo-baptist  imhlic  were  kept  in  ignorance  of  the 
doings  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  and  so  great  was 


100  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

this  ignorance,  that  multitudes  who  voted  for  the 
resokitions  and  their  preamble,  never  knew  till  they 
learned  from  Baptist  publications  that  the  subject 
had  any  thing  to  do  with  our  versions  of  the  Word 
of  God. 

But  when  the  Managers,  on  the  ground  of  these 
resolutiojis^  reject  the  Baptist  versions,  they  subject 
themselves  to  other  charges.  They  assume  to 
judge  of  the  consistency  of  Tnany  PcBdo-haptists. 
Nearly  one  half  of  Protestant  Paedo-baptists  now 
living,  use  Scriptures  in  which  ^antit^w  is  translated 
by  words  signifying  im^nerse.  They  have  so  done 
from  the  commencement  of  Protestantism.  The 
Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  now  vo- 
luntarily occupy  the  seats  of  umpires  between  the 
sentiments  and  practices  of  such  men,  and  gravely 
determine  that  a  large  portion  of  their  Paedo-bap- 
tist  constituents  are  inconsistent.  We  are  not  call- 
ed upon  to  defend  the  consistency  of  our  Paedo- 
baptist  friends,  but  we  are  at  liberty  to  inquire,  who 
made  the  Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society 
judges  of  such  matters  ?  Would  it  not  be  more  in 
unison  with  the  business  for  which  they  were  ap- 
pointed, to  examine  into  their  own  consistency  7 
A  large  majority  of  Psedo-baptist  scholars  of  all 
denominations  who  have  written  upon  the  subject, 
and  of  course  all  Baptists,  have  expressed  the  opin- 
ion that  the  proper  meaning  of  ^aTzti^co  is  immerse. 
The  Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society 
have  not  pretended  to  advance  one  argument  to 
prove  the  contrary,  and  yet  have  decided  that  such 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  101 

a  translation  is  unfaithful.     Is  there  no  inconsist- 
ency in  this  ? 

"  Such  was  the  course  adopted  by  the  managers  after  more  than  six 
months  of  candid  deliberation.  No  resolutions,  it  is  believed,  were 
ever  adopted  with  a  more  conscientious  com-iction  of  duty,  or  with 
more  kind  feelings  towards  those  who  dissented.  It  was  the  aim  in 
preparing  these  rules  to  be  impartial,  to  withhold  patronage  from  all 
versions  of  a  sectarian  nature,  and  to  encourage  all  which  are  faith 
fully  translated,  and  yet  in  such  a  way  that  the  different  branches  of 
this  compact  can  unite  in  using  them  as  they  so  cordially  \mite  in 
using  the  English  version. 

"  The  Managers  have  now  stated  what  they  believe  to  have  been 
the  purpose  of  the  founders  in  relation  to  versions,  and  also  what  has 
been  the  intentional  practice  of  those  who  have  since  conducted  its 
affairs.  They  have  furthermore  given  a  concise  history  of  their  doings 
in  regard  to  a  denominational  version  in  India  which  they  were  re- 
quested to  patronize.  These  statements,  it  is  believed,  will  satisfy 
most  of  those  connected  with  the  society,  that  a  just  and  constitu- 
tional course  has  been  pursued,  and  that  no  other  course  could  have 
been  adopted,  particularly  in  relation  to  the  latter  topic,  without  put- 
ting the  very  existence  of  the  society  in  jeopardy.  But  the  Managers 
regret  that  notwithstanding  the  resolutions  in  question  were  prepared 
in  their  present  shape,  by  wise,  conscientious  Baptists,  who  viewed, 
and  still  view  them  as  coincident  with  the  constitution,  notwithstand- 
ing they  received  the  full  sanction  of  the  Society  in  May,  1836,  and 
have  been  approved  of  by  all  the  auxiliaries,  so  far  as  known,  they 
have  yet  failed  to  satisfy  many  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  and 
have  called  forth  an  amount  and  style  of  opposition  not  very  common 
among  the  professed  sons  of  peace.  Charges  in  various  forms  have 
been  made  againt  the  doings  of  the  Board,  some  of  which  demand  a 
brief  reply." 

We  regret  that  we  are  compelled,  in  examining 
this  extract,  to  express  a  degree  of  disapproba- 
tion, which  may  seem  to  amount  to  direct  censure. 
The  first  sentence  assures  us  that  the  " 


102  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

fore  described  was  "  adopted  after  more  than  six 
months  of  candid  deliberation.''^  The  whole  course 
of  the  reasoning,  set  forth  in  the  present  circular  to 
justify  the  Managers  in  rejecting  the  Baptist  ver- 
sions, is  based  upon  the  assumption,  that  these  ver- 
sions are  "  in  their  judgment  unfaithful^  We 
have  before  alluded  to  the  fact  that  during  the  "  six 
months"  of  deliberation  this  ground  was  not,  even 
professedly,  maintained  by  the  Managers.  It  was 
once  assumed,  and  almost  immediately  abandoned 
upon  the  expressed  conviction  of  a  Psedo-baptist 
divine,  a  distinguished  member  of  the  Board,  that 
it  could  not  be  maintained.  The  Baptist  members 
of  tlie  Board  often  challenged  their  Paedo-baptist 
friends  to  take  this  ground,  and  discuss  the  faithful- 
ness of  the  versions  in  question.  This  was  uni- 
formly declined.  The  ground  assumed  was,  that, 
because  they  were  confined  to  the  commonly  re- 
ceived version  in  our  language,  therefore,  in  foreign 
tongues  they  should  confine  themselves  to  similar 
versions.  The  question  q{ faithfulness^  we  repeat, 
was  not  discussed,  and  the  "  course"  of  the  Board 
was  not  professedly  "  adopted"  in  reference  to  this 
principle.  Yet  we  are  now  told  that  our  versions 
were  rejected  because  the  Managers  considered 
them  "  unfaithfuV  Was  the  deliberation  then 
"  candid  ,^''  Did  the  Managers  speak  freely  their 
real  sentiments  ? 

Two  men,  connected  in  business,  differ  in  their 
views  of  a  certain  transaction.  The  one  disap- 
proves of  it  on  the  score  of  expediency ;  the  other 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  103 

endeavours  to  show  that  the  ultimate  results  will  be 
beneficial.  They  discuss  the  subject  for  six  months^ 
and  at  last,  being  unable  to  agree,  separate.  Four 
years  after,  the  former  of  the  two,  publishes  a  docu- 
ment to  show  that  he  all  along  believed  the  mea- 
sure approved  by  the  latter  was  dishonesty  and  that 
was  his  reason  for  dissenting  from  it,  although 
he  did  not  give  that  reason  at  the  time,  Had  he 
given  it,  the  other  might  easily  have  proved  the 
honesty  of  the  measure,  and  thus  have  prevented  a 
separation.  Shall  we  call  the  former  a  candid 
man,  and  say  that  he  conducted  for  six  months  a 
candid  deliberation  7 

The  remainder  of  this  paragraph  concerns  only 
the  motives  by  which  the  Managers  profess  to  have 
been  actuated.  On  these  we  have  no  comment  to 
make.  Motives  are  between  men  and  their  Maker  ; 
words  and  actions  are  proper  subjects  of  discussion 
for  the  public.  We  have  shown  that  the  rules  are 
not  impartially  applied,  otherwise  they  would  ex- 
tend to  many  other  points  of  difference  in  transla- 
tion, besides  §a7ZTii^co  ;  and  we  now  design  to  show 
that  they  extend  patronage  to  "  versions  of  a  secta- 
rian nature,"  while  they  do  7iot  "  encourage  all 
which  are  faithfully  translated." 

The  difference  between  the  great  body  of  Psedo- 
baptists  and  the  Baptists  in  this  country  on  the  or- 
dinance of  baptism  is  fully  understood.  The  Peedo- 
baptists  profess  that  sprinkling,  pouring  and  im- 
mersion, equally  constitute  the  act  indicated  by 
^aTTTi^oj ;  the  Baptists   profess  that  immersion   is 


104  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

always  implied  by  the  word.  To  transfer  §a7tti^(a 
into  a  foreign  tongue,  is  a  virtual  acknowledgment 
that  it  has  not  the  fixed  meaning,  immerse.  To 
insist  upon  such  a  transfer,  is  directly  and  openly 
to  favour  the  Psedo-baptist  side  of  the  question. 
To  patronize  only  such  versions  as  make  the  trans- 
fer, is  to  patronize  only  Psedo-baptist  versions.  Un- 
less, therefore,  the  Managers  assume  that  the  Pasdo- 
baptists  are  so  indisputably  right,  that  to  hold  their 
views  is  not  to  be  sectarian,  they  must  acknowledge 
that  they  extend  patronage  to  sectarian  versions. 
If  they  do  insist  that  Pse do-baptists  only  are  right, 
and  so  indisputably  right  that  their  views  are  in  no 
sense  sectarian,  then  the  American  Bible  Society 
becomes  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  Paedo-baptist. 
When  the  contest  comes  upon  Ema-Aonog^  which,  if 
the  Managers  impartially  carry  out  their  resolutions, 
must  occur  with  the  first  version  that  translates  the 
word,  they  will  be  obliged  to  take  either  Episcopal 
or  Presbyterian  ground,  and  thus  the  sectarian  cha- 
racter of  their  new  position  will  be  more  and  more 
developed. 

The  tendency  of  this  new  order  of  things  is  to  di- 
rect the  attention  of  translators  to  the  views  of  the 
majority,  and  not  to  the  meaning  of  the  sacred  ora- 
cles. They  must  now  regard  "  the  principles  of 
the  English  version,"  and  not  the  indisputable  de- 
sign of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  must  see  that  other 
denominations  do  not  find  some  occasion  to  cavil, 
or  that  the  representative  of  one  of  those  denomina- 
tions does  not  assert  that  his  people  cannot  consist- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  105 

ently  use  the  new  version.  These  considerations, 
no  intelhgent  man  can  suppose,  conduce  to  "  en- 
courage faithful  translations." 

In  the  next  paragraph  the  Managers  assert  that 
the  history  which  they  have  given  -'  will  satisfy 
most  of  those  connected  with  the  Society,  that  a 
just  and  constitutional  course  has  been  pursued,  and 
that  no  other  course  could  have  been  adopted" 
'^  without  putting  the  very  existence  of  the  Society 
in  danger."  We  speak  in  perfect  candour  and  kind- 
ness, when  we  assert,  that  we  cannot  discover  the 
least  shadow  of  fact  or  argument  on  which  this  as- 
sumption is  predicated.  Who  or  what  had  threat* 
ened  the  "  existence  of  the  Society  ?"  Had  any 
bo-ly  of  men  or  any  individual  intimated  any  inten- 
tion to  separate  from  it  ?  The  ]'idinburgh  Bible  So- 
ciety has  not  adopted  any  resolutions  similar  to  those 
of  the  American.  It  still  continues  to  aid  the  Bap- 
tist versions.  Is  its  '•  very  existence  in  jeopardy  ?" 
But  the  Managers  say  that  they  have  given  a  his- 
tory which  will  satisfy  most  of  their  constituents  of 
this  point  with  regard  to  their  own  Society.  In 
what  part  of  their  circular  is  it  mentioned  ?  By 
what  course  of  reasoning  is  it  sustained  7  W^here 
are  the  facts  adduced  to  show  the  extent  of  the  ap- 
prehended danger  ?  AVhat  are  the  illustrations  em- 
ployed to  set  it  forth  in  all  its  fearful  vividness  ? 
We  look  in  vain  through  every  paragraph  for  a  re- 
ply. This  sentence  alone  informs  of  the  danger, 
and  assures  the  reader,  whose  attrition-  had  never 
before  been  called  to  the  matter^  that  enough  has 
10 


106  AMERICAN    EIBL±:    SOCIETY 

already  been  said  to  satisfy  him,  that,  had  not  the 
Managers  at  the  critical  moment  adopted  the  mea- 
sure of  cutting  oif  the  Baptists  from  any  participa- 
tion in  their  funds,  so  far  as  respected  foreign  distri- 
bution, the  "  very  existence  of  the  Society"  would 
have  been  put ''  in  jeopardy/' 

But  since  the  Managers  have  themselves  omitted 
to  do  what  in  this  sentence  they  profess  to  have 
done,  we  will  endeavour  to  supply  the  deficiency. 
There  -z^-as  danger,  we  admit. — not  in  declining,  but 
in  adopting  the  course  which  they  have  pursued. 
The  immediate  and  obvious  result  was  to  separate 
from  them  a  denomination  numbering  in  this  coun- 
try more  than  half  a  million  of  communicants,  and 
three  or  four  millions  of  adherents.  The  ultimate 
results  are  in  futurity.  We  have  seen  that  the  re- 
solutions adopted,  if  invariably  carried  into  opera- 
tion, must  produce  unnumbered  difficulties,  and 
possibly  divisions  more  extensive  than  that  effected 
by  cutting  off  the  Baptists.  In  addition  we  may 
justly  lament  the  occasion  given  to  the  world  to  tri- 
umph over  the  dissensions  of  Christians,  the  harsh 
language  employed  against  our  denomination,  and 
the  dishonourable  insinuations  thrown  out  from  the 
pulpit  and  the  press,  that  we  had  for  many  years 
deceived  our  coadjutors,  but  at  last  had  been  de- 
tected and  exposed.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  harsh 
retorts  have  sometimes  been  given  by  our  friends. 
We  do  not  justify  them.  The  points  in  which  we 
think  the  Managers  have  erred,  can  be  discussed 
without  the  imputation  of  any  unholy  motives.  But 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  107 

the  immediate  cause  of  all  these  subjects  of  regret, 
has  been  '•  the  course"  adopted  by  the  Managers. 
Should  the  feelings  excited  and  the  prejudices  che- 
rished by  it,  result  in  other  and  worse  consequences) 
we  must  refer  them  to  their  proper  origin. 

We  now  come  to  the  replies  which  the  Managers 
have  endeavoured  to  make  to  six  charges  which 
they  have  enumerated  as  brought  against  their  pro- 
ceedings. Should  all  these  charges  have  been  irre- 
futably answered  by  the  Managers,  any  one  who 
has  read  our  articles  must  be  convinced,  that  a  tithe 
of  the  difficulties  would  not  have  been  removed. 
Incontrovertible  facts  have  been  here  adduced  to 
prove  many  of  the  statements  of  this  circular  incor- 
rect, and  to  exhibit  the  fallacy  of  the  arguments  on 
which  the  course  of  the  American  Bible  Society  is 
founded.  These  we  shall  not  now  repeat,  but  pro- 
ceed to  examine  the  mode  in  which  the  Managers 
attempt  to  reply  to  six  out  of  the  hundred  charges 
brought  against  them. 

"  First. — The  Managers  are  charged  with  havmg  changed  their 
•policy,  now  objecting  to  and  withholding  aid  from  versions  of  suck 
character  as  they  once  ■patronized  without  hesitation. 

"  The  reply  of  the  Board  here  is,  that  they  never  in  a  single  in- 
stance granted  aid  to  a  version  which  they  knew  at  the  time  to  be  of 
such  a  character  that  only  a  part  of  their  associates  could  consistently 
use  it.  Taking  it  for  granted  that  none  would  ask  them  to  aid  dene* 
minational  versions,  they  now  find  that  in  two  instances  they  have 
aided  such,  though  in  honest  ignorance.  It  appears  that  a  small 
edition  of  an  Indian  Gospel  was  once  printed  by  them,  vihexe  baptize 
was  translated  by  a  word  which  signifies  to  sprinkle  ox  2^our^-  thai 


109  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

one  version  in  India  has  been  aided  where  the  same  Greek  word  has 
been  translated  by  a  term  signifying  immerse.  Had  the  peculiarities 
of  these  translations  in  either  case  been  known  at  the  time,  they  would 
by  no  means  have  been  encouraged." 

Any  one  who  carefully  examines  our  articles  will 
see  that  the  ground  of  the  charge  which  we  have 
really  brought,  has  been  avoided  by  the  Managers, 
and  another  substituted  in  its  stead. 

We  charge  that  "  the  Managers  have  changed 
their  policy."  They  originally  professed  that  they 
would  disseminate  the  Scriptures  "  in  the  received 
versions  where  they  exist."  The  Bengali  then  ex- 
isted, and  had  existed  for  many  years,  was  exten- 
sively received,  and  was  the  only  version  in  the  lan- 
guage. The  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  pa- 
tronized it,  the  American  Bible  Society  praised  it. 
It  underwent  no  change  in  respect  to  jJa/rx/fw,  but  in 
1836,  twenty  years  after  the  Managers  professed 
their  design  to  disseminate  the  Scriptures  "  in  the 
received  versions  where  they  exist,"  they  added  a 
condition  before  unknown,  viz  :  that  said  version 
should  transfer  ^antit^oa.  Was  not  this  a  change  of 
policy  ? 

That  they  had  in  the  meanwhile  for  a  number  of 
years  patronized  the  Burman  Scriptures  which  trans- 
late §a7zriX(o]  that  they  had  highly  commended  all 
the  Serampore  translations;  and  other  similar  facts 
which  we  have  adduced,  are  collateral  evidences, 
but  do  not  constitute  the  strong  ground  of  proof 
that  the  former  policy  of  the  Society  was  different 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  109 

from  that  which  it  now  pursues.  It  is  a  plausible. 
but  not  a  sound  mode  of  argument  ;o  attack  a  col- 
lateral evidence  as  though  it  was  the  real  and 
sole  ground  of  proof. 

"  Had  the  peculiarity  of  these  translations  in  either  case  been 
known  at  the  time,  they  would  by  no  means  have  been  encouraged." 

On  this  sentence  the  Managers  will  permit  us  to 
express  strong  doubts.  We  have  before  shown  that 
they  had  the  most  abundant  means  of  knowledge 
with  regard  to  the  Baptist  versions,  and  that  if  they 
were  ignorant,  their  ignorance  was  wilful  and  in- 
excusabk.  The  v/hole  course  of  the  American  Bi- 
ble Society,  from  its  foundation  till  the  adoption  of 
the  present  line  of  policy,  indicates  a  strict  adhe- 
rence to  the  modes  of  procedure  pursued  by  the  in- 
stitution which  delights  to  regard  it  as  a  daughter, 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  It  would 
unnecessarily  protract  these  articles  to  explain  the 
r-easons  that  influenced  the  latter,  in  its  rejection  of 
the  versions  which  it  had  for  many  long  years  pa- 
tronized, and  to  show  the  difference  in  the  position 
of  the  two  institutions.  We  do  not  justify  the 
course  of  the  British  Society,  nor  would  we  plead 
its  apology ;  but  we  can  discover,  in  the  division  of 
parties  and  the  dissensions  in  its  midst,  the  sem- 
blance of  an  excuse  which  is  not  discernible  in  the 
condition  or  previous  history  of  the  American  So- 
ciety. 


10* 


110  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

"  Secondly. — The  Managers  are  charged  with  partiality  by  allovo' 
ing  other  denominations  to  make  such  foreign  versions  as  they 
choose,  while  Baptists  have  not  this  privilege. 

"  This  charge  can  have  no  foundation,  unless  other  denominations 
choose  to  make  versions  of  such  a  character  that  all  the  members  of 
the  Bible  Society  can  use  them,  while  those  who  complain  make 
such  versions  as  their  denomination  alone  can  consistently  use.  The 
Managers  can  have  no  motive  to  partiality  towards  any  of  their  asso- 
ciates, and  are  conscious  of  none,  provided  all  lay  aside  denomina- 
tional work,  and  adhere  alike  to  the  spirit  and  rules  of  this  associa- 
tion when  co-operating  with  it." 

It  is  difficult  for  us  to  discover  in  the  course  of 
reasoning  adopted  by  the  Managers  that  careful  re- 
gard to  matters  of  fact  which  we  firmly  believe  they 
would  not  purposely  neglect  to  maintain.  We  have 
never  seen  it  stated  by  Baptists  that  they  "  allow 
other  denominations  to  make  such  foreign  versions 
as  they  choose."  In  fact  a  doubt  has  never  entered 
our  mind,  that  the  American  Bible  Society  should 
reject  any  version  which  was  proved  to  be  unfaith- 
ful, provided  that  unfaithfulness  was  so  great  that 
the  version  could  not  be  regarded  as  evangelical. 
We  insert  this  provision,  because  bad  as  some  of  the 
Catholic  versions  are,  they  still  communicate  the 
essential  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  therefore  the  So- 
ciety has,  with  great  reason,  circulated  them  in 
countries  where  they  could  not  disseminate  more 
faithful  versions.  We  may  still  go  farther.  Where 
new  versions  were  required,  the  Society  was  bound 
by  its  original  pledge  to  disseminate  "the  most  faith- 
ful."   Had  the  Bengali  been  an  entirely  new  ver- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  Ill 

sion,  and  had  other  new  versions  in  the  same  lan- 
guage been  presented  for  the  patronage  of  the  So- 
ciety at  the  same  time,  if  the  Baptist  could  have 
been  proved  to  be  less  faithful  than  one  of  the 
other,  we  would  not  have  denied  that  the  Society 
acted  in  consistency  with  its  original  pledge  in  pre- 
ferring to  disseminate  the  most  faithful.  Eat  this 
would  have  required  no  new  course  of  policy,  or  new 
principle  of  action.  No  resolutions,  imbodying  prin- 
ciples never  before  heard  of,  and  incapable  of  being 
carried  to  their  full  result  without  ruin,  would  have 
been  needed.  In  a  word,  no  additional  condition 
would  have  been  invented  to  mar  the  peace  and  de- 
stroy the  union  of  those  who  were  labouring  for  the 
same  Lord  on  common  ground. 

*'  This  charge  can  have  no  foundation,  unless  other  denominations 
choose  to  make  versions  of  such  a  character  that  all  the  members  of 
the  Bible  Society  can  use  them,  while  those  who  complain  make  such 
versions  as  their  denomination  alone  can  consistently  use." 

We  have  already  shown  that  Paedo-baptists  of 
all  evangelical  denominations,  while  professing  to 
be  consistent,  do  use  versions  similar  to  those  pre- 
pared by  the  Baptists,  although  at  the  same  time 
we  object  to  any  such  7ieiv  condition  being  imposed 
on  translators,  that  they  should  be  required  to  prove 
that  other  denominations  can  use  their  v^ersions.  It 
is  not  in  the  constitution,  it  is  not  in  the  address  of 
the  convention.  It  is  a  novel  invention  and  impracti- 
cable in  its  operation.  Suppose  that  there  are  Hick- 
sites   among  the  supporters  of  the  Bible  Society. 


112  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

Must  each  translator  ascertain  whether  they  can 
consistently  use  his  version  ?  Suppose  that  some 
are  Calvinists  and  some  Arminians.  Must  each 
translator  ascertain  whether  both  can  consistently 
use  his  version  ?  Who  has  fixed  the  number  of  the 
denominations  supporting  the  Bible  Society  at 
seven  7  We  can  easily  count  twenty,  and  believe 
that  there  are,  or  rather  were,  more.  Must  every 
translator  ascertain  whether  each  of  these  can  con- 
sistently use  his  translation  ? 

*'  The  Managers  can  have  no  motive  to  partiality  towards  any  of 
their  associates,  and  are  conscious  of  none,  provided  all  lay  aside  de- 
nominational work,  and  adhere  alike  to  the  spirit  and  rules  of  this  As- 
sociation, when  co-operating  with  it." 

We  wish  this  sentence  to  be  read  with  care.  If 
it  has  any  application  to  the  case  in  hand,  it  is  this  : 
The  Managers  believe  the  Baptists  to  be  sectarians : 
and  while  our  missionaries  are  engaged  in  Baptist 
missions,  the  Managers  must  of  course  regard  them 
as  doing  denominational  work.  When  we  trans- 
late the  Scriptures  and  express  our  views  of  its 
meaning,  this  they  regard  as  denominational.  But 
if  we  took  Paedo-baptist  ground,  and  asserted  that 
^antl^ai  had  no  fixed  meaning,  and  in  accordance 
with  such  views  transferred  the  word,  then  they 
would  at  once  admit  that  we  had  laid  aside  denomi- 
national work.  In  other  words,  to  carry  out  the 
views  of  Psedo-baptists,  is  not  denominational — to 
carry  out  those  of  Baptists,  is.  Should  we  do  the 
former,  the  Managers  could  have  no  motive  of  par- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  113 

tiality  and  would  be  conscious  of  none  :  Let  ns  do 
the  latter,  and  then  their  partiality  is  not  denied. 
Now  who  can  be  so  blind,  with  such  facts  and  such 
statements  before  him,  as  not  to  see  that  the  Mana- 
gers in  this  matter  stand  solely  on  Psedo-baptist 
ground  ? 

**  Thirdly. — The  Managers  are  charged  with  laying  down  rules  in 
regard  to  versions  which  Baptist  translators  cannot  conscien- 
tiously follow. 

'*  The  reply  is,  that  the  Managers  lay  down  no  rules  which  they 
do  not  consider  as  enjoined  on  them  by  the  conditions  of  their  union 
by  the  framers  of  the  Society.  If  these  rules  bear  with  undue  pres- 
sure on  any  portion  of  the  compact,  it  is  for  those  who  appoint  the 
Board,  and  who  have  control  of  the  constitution,  to  alter  that  instru- 
ment so  ^Aai  men  of  every  creed  and  sentiment  may  prepare  such 
foreign  versions  as  they  please,  with  the  expectation  that  they  will 
be  published  out  of  tlte  common  Bible  fund  !  At  present  such  li- 
cense would  be  deemed  a  violation  of  what  the  constitution  requires. 
But  the  Board  (while  they  would  not  judge  for  others)  are  unable  to 
see  why  these  rules  which  the  complainants  themselves  cheerfully 
observe  in  relation  to  the  English,  French,  and  other  old  versions, 
cannot  be  also  followed  in  preparing  new  versions ;  that  is,  by  do- 
mesticating in  them  the  Greek  words  bcptizo  and  baptisma,  so  that 
other  missionaries  can  use  them  as  well  as  Baptists.  It  cannot  be 
a^ffirmed  that  errors  will  be  taught  by  these  transferred  words,  nor  can 
they  be  more  unintelligible  to  the  heathen  than  many  other  words 
which  it  is  well  known  are  transferred  from  the  original  into  the  Ben- 
galee and  Burmese  versions,  and  must  be  into  all  versions  made  in 
limited  pagan  tongues.  Some  of  the  words,  it  is  true,  must  be  ex- 
plained by  the  dictionary,  or  the  living  teacher,  before  the  common 
reader  will  understand  them.  So  must  many,  very  many,  words  in  his 
own  vernacular  be  thus  taught.  How  many  words  are  there  in  the  En- 
glish Bible,  and  in  every  other  which  the  illiterate  reader  does  not 
comprehend  until  instructed  by  some  foreign  aid?  Where  is  there  a 
modern  tongue  which  does  not  abound  in  transfen-ed  words?  The 
very  name  of  most  religious  denominations  is  derived  from  the 
Greek." 


114  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

The  reasoning  in  this  paragraph  is  far  from  being 
of  that  strong,  consecutive  character,  which  we 
might  anticipate  from  a  body  of  men  noted  for  their 
intelUgence  and  judgment.  The  discrepancy  be- 
tween the  first  and  second  sentence,  or  what  school- 
men would  call  the  "non  sequitur"  of  the  second 
sentence,  is  almost  ludicrous.  The  Managers  pro- 
fess that  "  they  lay  down  no  rules  which  they  do 
not  consider  as  enjoined  on  them  by  the  conditions 
of  their  union  by  the  framers  of  the  society,"  and 
"  if  these  rules  bear  with  undue  pressure  on  any 
portion  of  the  compact,"  the  constitution  must  be 
altered  to  permit  "  men  of  every  creed  and  senti- 
ment to  prepare  such  versions  as  they  please."  We 
are  not  surprised  at  the  mark  of  exclamation  and 
astonishment  affixed  to  such  a  conclusion.  The 
simple  matter  of  fact  is  that  the  coyistitution  has 
no  provision  on  the  subject.  The  idea  of  altering 
or  modifying  the  constitution,  we  have  never  seen 
suggested  excejH  in  this  circular.  What  article  of 
the  constitution  the  managers  propose  to  change  we 
cannot  conjecture.  The  first  and  second  articles 
embrace  the  object  of  the  organization  in  the  fol- 
lowing words  : 

ARTICLE    I. 

This  Society  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  American  Bible 
SociETi',  of  which  the  sole  object  shall  be  to  encourage  a  wider  cir- 
culation of  the  Holy  Scriptures  without  note  or  comment.  The  only 
copies  in  the  English  language,  to  be  circulated  by  the  Society,  shall 
be  of  the  versions  now  in  common  use. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS,  115 


ARTICLE   11. 

All  Bible  Societies  shall  be  allowed  to  purchase,  at  cost,  from  this 
Society,  Bibles  for  distribution  within  their  own  districts,  and  the  offi- 
cers of  all  such  Bible  Societies  as  shall  hereafter  agree  to  place  their 
surplus  revenue,  after  supplying  their  own  districts  with  the  Bible,  at 
the  disposal  of  this  Society,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  in  all  meetings 
of  the  Society. 

All  the  remaining  articles  are  confined  to  the 
management  of  the  Institution  and  have  no  relation 
whatsoever  to  modes  of  translation,  or  to  the  cha- 
racter of  the  versions  patronized.  What  then  is 
necessary  to  be  changed  ? 

Bat  the  Managers  imply  that  the  Baptists  require 
"  that  men  of  every  creed  and  sentiment  may 
jyrepare  such  foreign  versions  as  they  please^  icith 
the  expectation  that  they  ivill  he  published  out  of 
the  conunon  Bible  fund.'' 

If  the  Baptists  have  made  such  a  requisition, 
where  is  it  recorded  ?  In  what  lanoruao:e  is  it 
couched  ?  Who  originated,  and  who  advocated  the 
proposition  ? 

The  Baptists  resolved  to  instruct  their  missiona- 
ries "  who  are  or  who  shall  be  eno:affed  in  trans- 
lating  the  Scriptures,"  '•  to  endeavour,  by  earnest 
prayer,  and  diligent  study,  to  ascertain  the  exact 
meaning  of  the  original  text;  to  express  that 
meaning  as  exactly  as  the  nature  of  the  language 
into  which  they  shall  translate  the  Bible,  will  per- 
mit ;  and  to  transfer  no  words  which  are  capable  of 
being  literally  translated." 


116  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

The  Managers  of  the   American  Bible  Society 
determined  to  patronize  no  versions  which  trans- 
lated §a7ZTi^(o  and  its  cognates.     If  then  the  reason- 
ing of  the  Managers  be  just,  to  allow  §a7iri^(o  and 
its  cognates  to  be  translated,  is  to  allow  "  men  of 
every  creed  and  sentiment"  to  translate  every  part 
of  the  Bible  just  as  they  please.     The  question  is 
not  canvassed  whether  the  translation  of  ^anrit,^ 
be  right  or  wrong.     Such  a  question  is  not  to  be 
started  :    "  the   Managers   have   not   attempted    to 
settle  or  touch  any  question  as  to  philology  or  reli- 
gious ordinances."     But  to  translate  the  word  at 
all,  is  the  fearfully  objectionable  measure.     To  imi- 
tate the  boldness  of  Luther  and  the  other  great  and 
good  men,  who,  amidst  the  thunders  of  the  Vatican, 
dared  to  translate  it,  and  to  translate  it  in  precisely 
the  same  meanina^  as  such  men  gave  to  it,  this  is 
the  utmost  stretch  of  latitudinarianism.     It  is  to 
permit  "  men  of  every  creed  and  sentiment"  to  give 
any  meaning  to  Scripture  that  they  please.     The 
Romanist  may  prescribe  penance  instead  of  repent- 
ance, and  may  teach  men  to  worship  images,  in  his 
versions  of  Scripture,  and  the  Managers  can  con- 
scientiously circulate  these  versions  and  call  such 
heresies  mere  "  defects  ;"  but  if  the  Baptists  trans- 
late §a7tzi^co,  there  is  no  longer  any  measure  to  the 
enormity — the  cup  of  error  is  filled  to  overflowing 
— "  men  of  every  creed  and  sentiment"  then  have 
ample  authority  to  do  as  they  f>lease. 

We  have  no  charity  for  such  reasoning.     It  is 
hard  enough  to  have  our  versions  called  unfaithful ; 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  117 

it  is  hard  enough  to  have  those  of  Roman  Catholic 
preferred  to  them  ;  it  is  hard  enough  to  be  stigma- 
tized as  deceivers  ;  it  is  hard  enough  to  have  our 
motives  misrepresented,  our  reasoning  perverted, 
the  facts  that  sustain  our  position  omitted,  and 
others  pubUshed  as  constituting  the  luhole  history 
of  the  case  :  these  and  many  other  matters  on  the 
face  of  this  circular  are  hard  to  be  borne  ;  but  to 
have  it  represented  that  to  translate  [ianrit^tti^  is  to 
admit  the  quintessence  of  latitudinarianism.  the 
sum  and  substance  of  the  errors  of  "  mien  of  every 
creed  and  sentiment,'*  this  is  insupportable.  We 
will  not  believe  that  the  managers  of  the  American 
Bible  Society  weighed  the  language  which  they 
employed.  We  prefer  in  charity  to  suppose,  that 
this  circular  is  the  production  of  one  man,  an  indi- 
vidual alicays  hostile  to  the  Baptists,  and  the  prime 
mover  of  the  measures  which  separated  them  frcm 
the  American  Bible  Society.  As  the  circular  first 
appeared  anonymously,  and  was  extensively  distri- 
buted long  before  it  was  acknowledged  by  the  ma- 
nagers, we  prefer,  when  we  come  to  reasoning  like 
this  before  us,  to  presume  that  the  document  was 
not  prepared  by  the  managers,  but  was  afterwards 
adopted  by  them  to  shield  an  efficient  but  impru- 
dent officer  of  the  Society.  Under  such  a  presump- 
tion, we  will  dwell  no  longer  on  language,  which, 
we  are  convinced,  no  real  friend  of  the  managers 
will  attempt  to  justify. 

"  But  the  Board  (while  they  would  not  judge  for  other?,)  are  un- 
able to  see  why  these  rules,  which  the  complainants  themselves  cheer- 
11 


118  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

fully  observe  in  relation  to  the  English,  French,  and  other  old  ver- 
sions, cannot  be  also  followed  in  preparing  new  versions  ;  that  is,  by 
domesticating  in  them  the  Greek  words  baptizo  and  baptisma,  so 
that  other  missionaries  can  use  them  as  well  as  Baptists." 

Were  the  phraseology  of  this  document  to  be 
judged  by  the  rules  of  logical  accuracy,  the  fore- 
going extract  would  imply  that  the  Baptists  had 
translated  the  Scriptures  into  English,  French,  &c., 
and  that  in  these  languages  they  had  transferred 
^a7ZTi'C(^,  (fcc.  Ridiculous  as  such  a  statement  would 
appear  to  any  one  versed  in  the  history  of  the  Bible, 
it  must  be  remembered  that  many  of  the  friends  of 
the  American  Bible  Society  have  studiously  circu- 
lated the  report,  that  we,  as  a  denomination,  have 
published  versions  of  the  Scriptures  in  English 
made  by  ourselves.  The  English  Scriptures  issued 
by  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  al- 
though a  literal  transcript  of  King  James'  version 
of  1611,  have  been  frequently  stigmatized  from  the 
press  and  the  pulpit  as  "  the  Baptist  Bible.^^  Such 
has  been  the  popular  cry,  and  numbers  of  Peedo- 
baptists  have  believed  it.  Let  such  read  the  fore- 
going sentence,  and  how  can  they  avoid  supposing 
that  the  Baptists  have  an  English  version  of  their 
own,  and  have  been  guilty  of  the  inconsistency  of 
translating  ^uTiti^co  in  other  languages  and  trans- 
ferring it  in  our  own  ? 

Yet  the  simple  facts  are  these.  We  have  as  yet 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  "  French"  version,  and 
with  regard  to  the  "  other  old  versions"  of  which 
the  managers  speak,  we  knoio  not  what  they  mean. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  119 

Luther's  version  and  other  European  continental 
versions  which  we  have  circulated,  translate 
^aTZTi^co.  We  have  not  yet  seen  it  to  be  our  duty  to 
commence  a  new  translation  of  the  Scriptures  in 
English.  Such  a  work,  if  ever  undertaken,  will 
require  great  concentration  of  talents  and  piety, 
and  many  years  of  labour.  When  it  will  be  accom- 
plished, we  do  not  trouble  ourselves  even  to  conjec- 
ture. When  the  Baptists  profess  to  translate  the 
Scriptures  into  any  language,  and  transfer  '•'  words 
which  are  capable  of  being  literally  translated," 
then  it  vnW  be  sufficiently  early  to  inquire  why  they 
cannot  do  the  same  with  the  Bengali  and  other  new 
versions.  But  it  seems  that  individuals  have  been 
guilty  of  inconsistency  in  such  matters. 

"  The  Rev.  Joseph  Hughes,  a  Baptist,  and  long  a  Secretary  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  had  no  scruple  against  transferring 
baptizo;  nor  has  Rev.  Mr.  Sutton,  now  a  missionary  in  India.  Two 
able  pamphlets,  by  Baptists  in  England,  have  just  been  published  in 
favour  of  such  a  course.  The  Chip])ewa  New  Testament,  prepared 
by  Dr.  James,  a  Baptist,  and  printed  in  1833,  at  Albany,  has  the 
w'ovA  bapiizo  transferred,^^ 

The  managers,  in  our  estimation,  lose  their  dig- 
nity in  thus  arguing  about  the  opinions  and  actions 
of  two  or  three  individuals.  If  they  count  a  hun- 
dred men,  professedly  Baptist,  who  thought  that, 
to  secure  the  continuance  of  the  patronage  of  cer- 
tain Societies,  it  might  be  admissible  to  yield  a  con- 
scientious scruple  and  conceal  a  portion  of  God's 
truth  from  those  to  whom  we  profess  to  communi- 
cate the  whole,  would  their  opinion  affect  the  prin- 


120  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOClETV 

ciple  of  the  matter  ?  If  so,  then  all  the  Baptists 
on  the  other  side  of  the  question  would  present  an 
overwhehiiing  body  of  incontrovertible  and  indis- 
putable argument  against  the  managers. 

Here  we  cannot  avoid  mentioning  what  has 
forcibly  struck  us,  not  only  in  this,  but  in  another 
part  of  the  circular  which  we  have  examined.  The 
managers  do  not  appear  to  rely  upon  the  inherent 
strength  of  their  argument,  but  if  they  can  only  as- 
sert that  this  or  that  Baptist  thought  so,  or  did  so, 
no  matter  how  completely  he  has  since  become  con- 
vinced of  his  error  and  has  abandoned  it,  the  fact 
that  a  Baptist  once  happened  in  part  to  agree  with 
them,  is  seized  upon  and  held  up  to  the  world  as 
proof  that  the  board  must  he  right.  If  Baptist  au- 
thority, theUj  be  so  excellent,  why  not  give  it  its 
due  weight  and  yield  to  that  side  of  the  argument 
which  has  such  an  immense  preponderance  in  its 
favour. 

The  fact  that  some  words  (such  as  proper  names) 
must  be  transferred  from  one  language  to  another, 
is  next  alleged  to  prove  the  propriety  of  transfer- 
ring §a7tti^(o.  A  brief  illustration  will  show  the  na- 
ture of  this  argument.  There  are  no  words  in 
the  Bengali  corresponding  to  Gog  and  Magog. 
Therefore  these  names  must  be  transferred.  There- 
fore the  word  "  murder"  in  the  commandment, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  murder,"  may  with  propriety  be 
transferred  into  Bengali. 

'•'  But,"  says  an  objector.  "  the  natives  have  a 
word  which  means  ^murder,'  and  they  will  not  un- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  121 

derstaiid  the  word  transferred  from  the  Enghsh  or 
the  Hebrew."  No  matter.  Why,  they  have  no 
word  in  their  lansfuaofe  into  which  we  can  translate 
"  Calvinist,"  or  "  Q,uaker."  What  impropriety  then, 
in  transferring  the  word  "  murder  V  "  Pagan 
tongues''  are  "  hmited."  They  must  use  '•'  dictiona- 
ries." or  be  always  taught  by  "  the  living  teacher." 
*'  It  cannot  be  affirmed  that  error  will  be  taught  by 
these  transferred  words." 

The  analogy  between  the  hypothetical  and  the 
real  case,  is  perfect.  The  command  in  relation  to 
the  ordinance  of  baptism,  is  not  less  explicit  than 
the  prohibition  in  regard  to  murder.  If,  because 
some  proper  names  and  other  words,  not  inculcating 
important  commands  or  prohibitions,  must  be  trans- 
ferred, therefore  a  conscientious  translator  is  at  li- 
berty to  conceal  under  a  transferred  term,  a  com- 
mand which  he  believes  himself  capable  of  trans- 
lating intelligibly ;  then  any  other  command,  in- 
junction or  prohibition  of  Scripture  may  upon  the 
same  principle,  be  concealed.  If  the  principle  be 
correct,  it  cannot  be  confined  to  ^uttti^co  ;  if  it  be 
not  correct,  the  managers  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  have  erred  in  endeavouring  to  vindicate  it. 

*'  Fourthly. —  The  Managers  are  charged  with  the  inconsistency  of 
patronizing  German  and  Dutch  Bihlesy  where  baptizo  is  trans- 
lated hy  words  which  signify  immcTse,  and  yet  withholding  aid 
from  the  Bengalee  and  Burmese  Bibles  translated  in  the  same 
way. 

"  The  reply  is,  in  the  first  place,  that  the  former  versions  are  an- 
cient '  received  versions,'  such  as  the  founders  of  the  Society  pro^ 
11* 


122  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

mised  to  patronize.  In  the  next  place  those  translated  words  al- 
luded to,  though  they  once  signified  immerse,  have,  like  many  words 
in  the  English  Bible,  lost  their  first  meaning,  and  are  now  of  as 
general  import  as  the  English  word  baptize.  They  are  versions 
•which  both  Baptists  and  Paedo-baptists  can  and  do  use  continually 
without  objection.  Should  the  versions  referred  to  in  India,  as  they 
are  in  the  main  good,  undergo  a  similar  change  as  to  the  import  of  a 
few  words,  so  that  different  denominations  can  use  them,  the  mana- 
gers will  feel  no  scruple  in  granting  them  patronage.  They  will  be 
viewed  and  treated  as  faithful  versions  when  there  is  evidence  that 
they  convey  to  all  the  component  parts  of  the  Society,  like  the  En- 
glish and  German  Bibles,  the  mind  of  the  Spirit.  Let  the  Divine 
meaning  be  actually  conveyed  to  the  various  readers,  and  it  seems  to 
the  Board  a  matter  of  little  moment  whether  this  is  effected  through 
one  tongue  or  another,  or  through  a  combination  of  several." 

The  first  sentence  of  this  paragraph  arrests  the 
attention  as  furnishing  an  additional  ilUistration  of 
the  pecuhar  mode  of  reasoning  that  prevails 
throughout  the  circular.  A  document  setting  forth 
the  reasons  of  a  certain  course  of  conduct  by  a 
public  body,  should  be  plain,  perspicuous  and  direct 
in  all  its  statements  and  arguments.  Nothing 
should  be  left  to  allusion  or  implication.  Yet  here, 
as  elsewhere,  the  phraseology  implies  an  argument 
involving  a  matter  of  fact  which  is  not  presented 
in  direct  terms.  The  founders  of  the  Society  pro- 
mised to  patronize  "  the  received  versions  where 
they  exist,  and  the  most  faithful  where  they  may 
be  required."  The  first  clause  included  the  Bengali 
which  existed  at  the  time.  This  fact  could  not  be 
denied  by  the  managers,  but  its  admission  would  at 
once  expose  the  impropriety  of  their  course.  There- 
fore in  that  part  of  the  circular  which  refers  directly 


A.ND    THE    BAPTISTS.  123 

to  the  Bengali  version,  they  omit  any  alkision  to 
this  matter  of  fact.  In  the  part  before  us,  however, 
where  the  allusion  might  make  its  impression  upon 
the  common  reader,  without  the  liability  of  contra- 
diction from  a  direct  statement,  the  word  "  ancient^' 
is  prefixed  to  the  phraseology  of  the  founders,  and 
the  impression  is  given  that  they  agreed  to  patro- 
nize only  the  ancient  received  versions.  A  strict 
construction  of  the  language  would  involve  the 
managers  in  the  charge  of  a  positive  misstatement 
of  fact ;  "  ancient  'received  versions'  such  as  the 
founders  of  the  Society  promised  to  patronize."  The 
founders  did  not  promise  to  patronize  "  such."'  They 
promised  to  patronize  ''  received  versions" — not 
"  ancient  received  versions."  The  restrictive  quali- 
fication, no  man  has  a  right  to  prefix  to  their  words, 
and  when  the  case  involves  such  grave  considera- 
tions, the  prefixion  is  justly  liable  to  the  severest 
censure. 

■"In  the  next  place,  those  translated  words  alluded  to,  though  they 
once  signified  immerse,  have  (like  many  words  in  the  English  Bible) 
lost  their  first  meaning,  and  are  now  of  as  general  import  as  the 
English  word  baptize. 

We  have  already,  to  some  extent,  expressed  our 
views  on  this  reasoning,  and  shall  therefore  only 
add  a  few  suggestions.  The  parenthesis  furnishes 
information,  which,  connected  with  other  parts  of 
the  circular,  may  be  regarded  by  some  readers  as 
no  less  strange  than  new.  "  The  English  Bible," 
tlie  managers  assure  us,  is  "  a  faithful  version,"  and 


124  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

it  conveys  '■  in  view  of  all,  the  true  Divine  mean- 
ing." But  here  they  inform  us  that  '•  many  of  its 
words  have  lost  their  first  meaning."  If  language 
have  any  significancy,  we  are  here  informed  that 
the  English  Bible  was  originally  an  unfaithful 
translation,  but  that  many  of  its  words,  having  lost 
their  original  meaning,  it  now  conveys  the  true 
Divine  meaning,  and  has  thus  become  a  faithful 
version.  And  yet  to  the  principles  of  this  transla- 
tion, which  has  thus  strangely  become  faithful  by 
influences,  over  which  the  translators  had  no  con- 
trol, all  modern  translators  are  required  to  conform 
their  versions.  Criticism  on  such  argument  would 
be  supererogatory. 

The  managers  admit  that  the  German  and  Dutch 
Bibles  are  translated  as  our  Bengali ;  but  the  words 
in  question  have  since  undergone  a  change  of 
meaning,  therefore  they  can  patronize  such  ver- 
sions, and  otherwise  they  could  not  have  patronized 
them.  What  an  admission  !  Had  the  American 
Bible  Society  existed  in  the  time  of  Luther,  it  could 
not  have  patronized  his  version  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. No,  against  the  torch  that  set  Europe  on  fire 
and  has  since  illumined  the  world,  the  Society  must 
have  closed  its  eyes  or  joined  the  Pope  in  endea- 
vouring to  extinguish  it. 

No  matter  though  the  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures into  the  vernacular  tongues  of  Germany, 
broke  down  the  strong  holds  of  superstition  and 
ignorance,  and  raised  on  the  other  hand  a  bulwark, 
against  which  all  the  powers  of  papacy  have  never 


AND    THE    BAP3ISTS.  125 

been  able  to  make  head  ;  no  matter  how  good,  how 
useful,  or  faithful  was  the  version ;  it  translated 
^anrit,^  and  therefore  could  not  be  patronized  ! 

Thus  the  Managers  of  the  A.merican  Bi- 
ble Society  acknowledge  that  on  the  prin- 
ciple ON  WHICH  THEY  OPPOSE  THE  BaPTISTSj 
THEY  MUST  HAVE  OPPOSED  THE  REFORMA- 
TION. 

We  might  dwell  upon  this  singular  position  of 
the  American  Bible  Society,  but  our  space  forbids 
us  to  detail  the  fearful  inferences  which  every  re- 
flecting mind  will  itself  conceive.  One  idea  only 
\ve  cannot  forbear  to  insert.  The  Managers,  ac- 
cording to  their  circular,  must  have  replied  to  an 
application  from  the  great  Reformer  for  aid  in  pub- 
lishing his  version,  "  We  cannot  conscientiously 
aid  a  version  which  is  so  unfaithful  as  to  translate 
^anzLLco  immerse,  but  if  you  will  publish  a  version 
founded  on  the  Latin  Vulgate,  although  it  may  in- 
culcate '^;e?zance,'  insteccd  of  '■repentance^'  and 
the  v:  or  ship  of  an  image  on  the  top  of  a  staffs  we 
will  freely  communicate  of  our  means  to  circulate  a 
version  which  has  such  mere  '  defects.' "' 

But  the  inconsistencies  of  this  statement  of  the 
Managers  appear  in  other  respects.  They  assert 
that  the  German  and  Dutch  tongues  have  under- 
gone an  important  change,  while  they  furnish  no 
account  of  the  mode  by  which  it  has  been  effected, 
or  any  authority  on  which  their  assertion  is  founded. 
It  would  be  easy  to  show  from  the  use  of  the  dis- 
puted words  in  German  and  Dutch  writers,  and  from 


126  AMERICAN    BIBLE     SOCIETY 

the  letters  of  Mr.  Oncken,  whose  acquaintance  with 
the  language  of  the  common  people,  and  whose  un- 
corrupt  integrity  have  never  been  disputed,  that  the 
assertion  of  the  Managers  is  totally  incorrect  and 
unfounded.  We  acquit  them  however  of  any  de- 
sign to  misstate.  They  have  probably  taken  the 
word  of  the  individual  who  wrote  the  circular  for  a 
fact,  of  which  they  have  neglected  to  obtain  the 
proofs. 

For  other  inconsistencies  of  this  statement,  and 
the  unpleasant  dilemma  in  which  it  involves  the 
Managers,  we  refer  the  reader  to  a  former  part  of 
this  argument  in  which  the  subject  was  partially 
examined.* 

The  versions  in  India  are  admitted  to  be  "  in  the 
main  good,"  and  if  they  should  "  undergo  a  similar 
change  as  to  the  import  of  a  few  words,"  "  the  Ma- 
nagers will  patronize  them." 

This  is  another  most  important  admission.  Our 
versions  are  in  the  main  good — that  is,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  these  few  words,  ^anri^co  and  its  cognates, 
they  are  good.  Alas !  can  Christians  confess  this 
and  yet  refuse  them  to  the  perishing  heathen  ?  Are 
not  the  Burmans  and  the  Karens,  and  the  Ben- 
galese  as  important  in  the  eye  of  Jehovah  as  the  in- 
habitants of  Europe  ?  Can  the  Managers  conscien- 
tiously bestow  as  high  commendations  upon  the 
Romanist  versions  as  they  can  on  the  Baptist? 
Then   where  is  the  consistency  of  circulating  the 

*  See  page*  79,  80. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS,  127 

former  among  the  inhabitants  of  Europe  and  with- 
holding the  latter  from  the  natives  of  India  ?  Is 
the  immersion  of  a  believer  in  Jesus  a  more  fear- 
ful crime  with  the  Managers  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  than  the  worship  of  an  image  ?  We  know 
no  illustration  of  such  conduct  more  striking  than 
the  expression  of  Scripture,  '•  to  strain  at  a  gnat  and 
swallow  a  camel." 

But  the  Managers  assure  us  that  the  objectiona- 
ble words  in  the  German  and  Dutch  tongues  have 
lost  their  peculiar,  and  acquired  a  general  meaning, 
and  they  seem  to  anticipate  that  the  same  may 
eventually  be  the  case  with  our  Indian  versions. 
If  the  statement  were  really  true,  and  the  anticipa- 
tions well  founded,  must  the  poor  heathen  die  by 
millions  in  the  meanwhile  without  the  word  of  God, 
anticipating  that  some  distant  generation  may  re- 
ceive it  from  the  patronage  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  ?     If  the   words   are  to  undergo  such   a 
change  of  meaning,  why  not  circulate  the  Scrip- 
tures generally,  as  is  the  case  with  Luther's  version 
in  Germany,  and  bring  about  the  result  as  soon  as 
possible  ?     If  those  who  sprinkle,  could  use  Luther's 
version  in  Germany  when,  even  according  to  the 
Managers,  it  did  inculcate  immersion,  cannot  Bap- 
tists be  permitted  to  use  a  similar  version  in  India  ? 
In  closing  our  remarks  upon  this  paragraph,  we 
cannot  forbear  to  remark  the  apparently  light  man- 
ner in  which  the  Managers  speak  of  withholding 
the  Scriptures  from  the  heathen.     No  other  versions 
existed  in  the  languages  of  some  of  the  many  mil- 


128  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

lions  who  were  ready  to  receive  the  versions  in 
question.  Yet  for  the  sake  of  "  a  few  words,"  as 
the  Managers  inform  us,  they  refuse  to  circulate  our 
versions.  Nay,  for  the  sake  of  these  feio  icords 
they  effectually  break  the  bands  of  union,  and  give 
occasion  to  bitter  feelings  and  unchristian  remarks 
to  hundreds  of  thousands  of  professing  christians 
whom  they  have  arrayed  against  each  other.  They 
were  not  impelled  to  their  course  by  conscientious 
scruples,  for  if  expediency  prompted  them  to  circu- 
late the  Romanist  versions,  conscience  could  not 
have  prevented  them  from  circulating  the  Baptist. 
For  "  a  few  words,"  then,  a  light  matter  with  them 
not  involving  conscience,  they  have  adopted  a  line 
of  policy,  which,  we  candidly  believe,  will  be  more 
disastrous  to  them  in  its  ultimate  results  than  any 
other  course,  which,  under  the  circumstances  of  the 
case,  they  could  possibly  have  followed. 


"  Fifthly. — Another  charge  is,  that  the  Managers  have  set  up  the 
English  Bible  as  a  standard  to  which  all  translations  must  be  con- 
formed, thus  abridging  the  liberty  of  the  translator. 

'•'  This  is  a  mistake,  as  any  reader  of  the  foregoing-  resolution  will 
see.  It  is  expected  that  missionaries,  or  others,  who  prepare  new 
versions,  will  translate  as  they  do  in  fact,  from  the  original  tongues 
with  great  care,  imitating  the  English  no  farther  than  by  transferring 
a  few  words,  which  either  cannot  be  translated  or  are  of  disj^uted 
meaning;  and  even  these  transfers  are  not  requii-ed,  provided  the  va- 
rious members  of  the  Society  can  unite  in  using  the  versions  as  they 
use  the  English.  This  certainly  is  imposing  no  severe  restraint  on 
the  conscience  of  the  translator,  far  less,  it  is  apprehended,  than  the 
complainants,  (who  have  taken  the  English  Bible,  and  appended  to 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  129 

it  a  glossar}',  telling  us  precisely  what  certain  Greek  words  signify) 
will  require  of  their  translators.  How  much  liberty  will  the  latter 
have  to  prepare  versions  which  are  not  thoroughly  denominational?" 

The  legitimate  application  of  a  general  rule  is 
not  confined  to  the  particular  case  which  called  it 
into  existence.  In  their  anxiety  to  avoid  any  ex- 
pression that  might  give  the  Christian  public  an  ex- 
plicit idea  of  the  nature  of  the  controversy  which 
they  had  started  with  the  Baptists,  the  Managers  of 
the  American  Bible  Society  have  adopted  a  rule  as 
general  in  its  extent,  as  it  is  perpetual  in  its  opera- 
tion. We  admit  that  their  original  design  was  only 
to  coerce  the  Baptist  translators,  but  the  foundation 
which  they  have  laid,  is  far  too  broad  for  so  narrow 
a  superstructure. 

"  Resolved,  That  in  appropriating  money  for  the  translating, 
printing  or  distributing  the  sacred  Scriptures  in  foreign  languages, 
the  Managers  feel  at  liberty  to  encourage  only  such  versions  as  con- 
form in  the  principles  of  their  translations  to  the  common  English 
version,  at  least  so  far  as  that  all  the  religious  denominations  repre- 
sented in  this  Society  can  consistently  use  and  circulate  said  versions 
in  their  several  schools  and  communities." 

The  versions  here  explicitly  described  as  hence- 
forth entitled  to  the  patronage  of  the  Society,  are, 
*'  only  such  as  conform  to  the  principles  of  the 
Enoflish  version."  This  is  the  general  rule  by 
which  the  Managers  design  to  be  guided.  But 
as  almost  every  general  rule  is  expected  to  have 
individual  exceptions,  the  most  particular  care 
is  taken  to  guard  against  any  expectations  of 
^  12 


ISO  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

leniency  with  regard  to  certain  translations.  "  At 
least"  these  will  be  excluded  from  any  hopes  of 
patronage. 

Conformity  to  "the  common  English  versions," 
is  thus  made  the  general  rule,  to  which  the  Mana- 
gers seem  to  intimate  that  some  exceptions  may 
possibly  be  allowed.  The  exceptions,  however, 
they  do  not  specify  while  they  establish  the  rule. 
Such  conformity  to  this  version  as  to  meet  the 
views  of  "  all  the  religious  denominations  repre- 
sented in  the  Society,"  is  the  universal  rule,  to 
which  no  exception  under  any  circumstances  is  to 
be  admitted.  "  At  least"  this  will  be  enforced.  As 
though  the  Managers  had  said,  "  We  are  not  yet 
prepared  to  say  how  far  we  shall  enforce  the  general 
rule  of  conformity  to  the  English  version,  but  on 
this  we  are  decided.  If  the  representative  of  any 
denomination  takes  exception  to  any  version  which 
is  not  perfectly  conformed  to  the  English,  that  ver- 
sion we  will  unceremoniously  reject.  Still  as  we 
shall  "  AT  least"  do  this,  we  may  reject  for 
any  want  of  conformity  to  the  English  Bible.  If 
then  you  wish  to  be  safe,  you  will  in  all  your  ver- 
sions conform  entirely  to  the  standard  which  we 
have  given  you." 

This  is,  we  conceive,  the  only  legitimate  construc- 
tion of  the  resolution  which  was  adopted  "  after 
more  than  six  months  of  candid  deliberation."  To 
surmise  that  a  body  of  intelligent  men  could  not  in 
six  months  mature  a  resolution  that  expressed  their 
design,  would  be  an  imputation  on  their  wisdom,  of 


AND    TUB    BAPTISTS.  131 

which  we  shall  not  be  guilty.  The  language  em- 
ployed by  them  is  not  recondite.  The  expression 
<'  at  least"  is  common,  and  has  a  definite  and  fixed 
raeaninor.  It  implies  that  some  proposition  has  been 
stated  which  is  general  in  its  nature,  and  that  a  par- 
ticular proposition  follows  embracing  a  portion  of 
the  ground  covered  by  the  general  one,  and  assur- 
ing us  that,  to  this  portion  there  is  no  ^exception. 
Still  the  minor  proposition  does  not  in  the  least  in- 
validate the  general  one,  although  it  implies  a  possi- 
bility of  exceptions  to  it.  We,  therefore,  assert  that 
the  general  rule  adopted  by  the  Managers  of  the 
American  Bible  Society  is, 

"  To  encourage  only  such  versions  as  conform  in 
the  principles  of  their  translations  to  the  common 
English  version.'' 

If  this  is  not  to  "set  up  the  English  Bible  as  a 
standard  to  which  all  translations  must  be  con- 
formed, thus  abridging  the  liberty  of  the  translator," 
we  would  be  gratified  to  have  the  difference  of  the 
propositions  distinctly  explained. 

It  may  answer  a  temporary  purpose  to  assert  that 
the  identity  of  the  purport  of  these  propositions,  "  is 
a  mistake,"  but  until  some  evidence  or  argument  is 
advanced  to  j)rove  such  mistake,  reasonable  men 
will  probably  be  unable  to  discriminate  between 
them. 

"  It  is  expected  that  missionaries,  or  others,  who  prepare  new  ver- 
sions, will  translate,  as  they  do  in  fact,  from  the  original  tongues  with 
great  care,  imitating  the  English  no  farther  than  by  transferring  a 
few  words,  which  either  cannot  be  translated   or  are  of  disputed 


132  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

meaning ;  and  even  these  transfers  are  not  required,  provided  the  va- 
rious members  of  the  Society  can  unite  in  using  the  versions  as  they 
use  the  English." 


That  such  expectation  is  asserted  or  implied  in 
the  resolutions  'of  the  Board,  we  positively  deny. 
No  allusion  is  made  to  the  "  original  tongues ;"  no 
encouragement  is  given  to  "great  care"  concerning 
them;  nothing  is  said  about  "transferrin or  a  few 
words." 

If  the  Board  of  Managers  have  really  enforced  or 
implied  any  requisitions  of  the  kind,  why  not  quote 
the  words  in  which  they  are  couched  ?  AVhen  a 
law  is  issued,  '•  it  is  expected"  that  those  whom  it 
concerns  will  regard  it.  The  law  issued  to  trans- 
lators is,  to  "conform  in  the  principles  of  their  trans- 
lations to  the  common  English  version  ;"  and  now 
after  it  has  been  four  years  in  force,  the  Managers 
inform  us  that  "  it  is  expected,  that  missionaries,  or 
others,  who  prepare  new  versions,  will  translate,  as 
they  do  in  fact,  from  the  original  tongues  with  great 
care."  Surely  the  law  issued  regarding  the  matter. 
is  little  adapted  to  encourage  such  expectations. 

They  are  also  "  expected"  to  imitate  "  the  Ens^lish 
no  farther  than  by  transferring  a  few  words,"  &c. 
Either  then  the  "  missionaries  or  others  who  pre- 
pare new  versions"  are  not  "  expected"  to  comply 
with  the  wishes  of  the  Board,  or  else,  to  "conform 
in  the  principles  of  translation  to  the  English  ver- 
sion," is  in  the  opinion  of  the  Managers,  only  "  to 
transfer  a  few  words  which  either  cannot  be  trans- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS,  133 

lated,  or  are  of  a  doubtful  meaning."  We  will  not 
believe  that  the  Managers  after  six  months  delibera- 
tion, adopted  a  resolution  which  they  did  not  ex- 
pect to  be  observed,  and  we  are,  therefore,  obliged 
however  reluctantly,  to  adopt  the  latter  proposition. 
We  say  "  reluctantly,"  for  we  are  reluctant  to  ad- 
mit, that  wise  men,  after  mature  deliberation,  should, 
to  express  such  a  simple  idea,  employ  phraseology 
which  does  not  convey  it,  but,  instead  of  it,  conveys 
ideas  of  the  utmost  magnitude  and  fearfulness. 

But  now  let  us  examine  the  commentary  of  the 
Managers  on  their  own  resolution.  There  can  be 
no  dispute  regarding  words,  such  as  proper  names, 
&c.,  which  cannot  be  translated.  To  deliberate  six 
months  before  preparing  a  resolution  to  require 
translators  "  to  imitate  the  English  by  transferring 
a  few  words  which  cannot  be  translated,"  would  be 
belov/  the  dignity  of  the  Board  of  Managers.  A 
translator  would  naturally  inquire,  '•  What  else  did 
you  imagine  that  I  would  do  with  such  words  ?  If 
I  could  not  translate  them,  did  you  fear  that  I  would 
omit  them?"  It  is  perfectly  evident,  notwith- 
standing their  own  commentary,  that  the  Managers 
never  intended  any  such  trifling,  as  to  resolve  that 
a  man  should  do  that  which  he  could  not  avoid. 

The  commentary  must  then  be  abbreviated.  To 
conform  in  the  principles  of  translation  to  the  com- 
mon English  version,  is,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Ma- 
nagers, to  transfer  a  few  words  of  disputed  mean- 
ing. A  version  founded  on  no  other  principle  (we 
cannot  find  a  plural  in  the  idea)  than  the  transfer  of 
12* 


134  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

a  few  words  of  disputed  meaning,  is  certainly  not 
entitled  to  much  commendation,  and  least  of  all 
deserves  to  be  made  a  standard.  Still  those  "  few 
words"  may  be  of  so  great  importance,  that  although 
the  transfer  of  them  may  not  constitute  such  a 
prominent  excellence  as  to  be  justly  called  "  the 
principles"  of  its  translation,  yet  it  may  possibly 
constitute  a  most  material  defect.  If  a  chapter  of 
the  Bible  were  left  untranslated,  and  printed  in  a 
modern  version  as  it  appears  in  the  original  Hebrew 
or  Greek,  this  would  not  properly  be  regarded  as 
"  the  principles"  of  the  translation  of  the  book,  but 
it  would  constitute  in  the  eyes  of  a  man  who  con- 
scientiously desired  to  give  the  whole  of  divine  truth 
to  the  people  that  received  that  version  a  most  la- 
mentable and  unpardonable  blemish  in  the  work. 

But  the  Managers  are  sincerely  desirous,  as  ap- 
pears by  this  and  the  foregoing  paragraph,  to  con- 
vince the  readers  of  their  circular  that  they  require 
very  little  of  the  Baptists.  We  as  sincerely  believe 
their  professions.  They  require  what  to  them  ap- 
pears a  very  small  matter.  They  have  always 
assured  us  that  they  regard  it  as  of  little  importance 
whether  a  man  be  immersed  or  sprinkled.  On  the 
other  hand  we  make  of  it  a  matter  of  conscience. 
They  speak  of  the  transfer  of  a  few  words  as  a 
mere  matter  of  expediency.  We  again  regard  this 
as  a  matter  of  conscience.  We  cannot  question 
whether  we  shall  or  shall  not  give  the  whole  word 
of  God  to  the  heathen  so  far  as  human  ability  will 
permit.    Money,  union,  expediency  and  all  other 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  135 

considerations  must  bow  before  conscience.  Such 
being  the  state  of  the  question,  is  it  right,  is  it 
Christian,  is  it  expedient,  for  those  who  regard  the 
matter  as  hght  and  small,  to  press  their  views  to  the 
cutting  off  of  those  who  attach  to  it  the  highest  im- 
portance I  This  view  of  the  subject  opens  a  field 
of  inferences,  to  which,  without  too  far  extending 
this  examination,  we  cannot  even  allude. 

In  justification  of  their  conduct,  the  Managers  at 
the  close  of  this  paragraph  allude  to  a  measure  of 
the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  and  from 
that  infer  positively  and  explicitly  the  course  which 
that  Society  ''  will  require  of  their  translators." 
They  further  assume  that  the  Society  alluded  to,  are 
the  "  complainants."  In  all  this  there  is  a  want  of 
dignity  and  propriety  which  must  strike  every  un- 
biassed mind.  Let  us  for  a  moment  imagine  that 
the  inference  of  the  Managers  is  well  founded  ;  to 
what  will  it  amount )  A  Board  to  whom  are  in- 
trusted the  interests  of  a  large  and  respectable  So- 
ciety, is  explaining  to  its  constituents  its  reasons  for 
adopting  a  line  of  policy  which  involves  numerous 
inconsistencies,  and  repelling  certain  charges  in 
relation  to  that  policy.  Instead  of  disproving  these 
charges  by  a  manly  course  of  reasoning,  the  Board 
infers,  or  imagines  that  another  society  will  do  as 
badly  or  worse  in  similar  matters.  And  then  to 
bind  this  strange  reasoning  to  the  case  in  hand,  the 
Board  alleges,  that  this  Society,  of  which  it  has  not 
even  given  the  name,  constitutes  "  the  complain- 
ants." 


136  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

To  such  reasoning  we  are  almost  at  a  loss  for  an 
answer.  What  in  the  name  of  logic  has  the  Ame- 
rican and  Foreign  Bible  Society  to  do  with  the 
question  whether  the  American  Bible  Society  has 
done  right  or  wrong  ? 

The  Managers  of  the  American  cannot  have 
founded  their  action  on  that  of  the  American  and 
Foreign,  as  the  former  had  acted  before  the  latter 
was  called  into  existence. 

Again,  to  call  the  latter  ''  the  complainants,"  when 
the  "  charges"  which  the  Managers  are  endeavour- 
ing to  rebuke,  have  been  put  forth  in  almost  every 
case  by  individuals  and  on  their  private  authority, 
is  ungenerous  as  it  is  unjust. 

But  the  inference  or  surmise  of  the  Managers, 
which  we  have  hitherto  treated  as  well  founded,  is 
in  reality  totally  destitute  of  foundation.  The  En- 
ghsh  Bibles  and  Testaments  issued  by  the  Ameri- 
can and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  are,  as  nearly  as 
practicable,  an  accurate  reprint  of  the  original  edi- 
tion of  the  present  English  version. — On  a  fly  leaf 
preceding  the  New  Testament,  seven  words  are 
printed  with  the  Greek  corresponding  to  them,  and 
the  proper  meaning  of  those  words  given  by  a 
single  English  synonyme.  The  whole  if  formed 
into  a  sentence,  would  make  about  the  length  of  a 
common  verse  of  Scripture.  This  is  the  important 
matter  which  is  magnified  by  the  Managers  of  the 
American  Bible  Society  into  a  Glossary  !  Were 
it  not  for  the  great  respect  which  we  really  entertain 
towards  these  gentlemen,  and  the  belief  that  the)'' 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  137 

have  acted  in  this  matter  without  due  consideration; 
we  would  hardly  have  condescended  to  notice  such 
an  attack.  But  what  shall  we  say  of  the  inference 
deduced  from  this  glossary — that  the  American 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society  will  impose  far  more 
severe  "  restraint  on  the  conscience  of  the  transla- 
tor" than  has  been  imposed  by  the  Managers  of  the 
American  !  Those  who  can  discern  the  connexion 
between  the  fact  and  the  inference^  may  also  dis- 
cover the  proper  method  of  rebutting  the  latter. 
As  we  have,  after  the  closest  study,  found  ourself 
incapable  of  effecting  the  former  we  shall  not  at- 
tempt the  latter  enterprise. 

We  have  now  reached  the  last  matter  treated  in 
the  circular  of  the  Managers — the  amount  of  mo- 
neys contributed  by  the  Baptists  to  the  American 
Bible  Society,  and  the  disposition  which  ought  to 
have  been  made  of  such  funds.  It  would  be  in 
vain  for  us  to  attempt  to  disguise  the  feelings  of  re- 
pugnance with  which  we  enter  upon  the  discussion 
of  such  a  subject.  The  questions  connected  with 
it  do  not  properly  affect  the  merits  of  the  contro- 
versy arising  out  of  the  stand  taken  by  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society  relative  to  Baptist  versions  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  If  it  could  be  sustained  by  the 
Board  of  Managers,  that  they  had  pursued  an  in- 
variable policy  regarding  foreign  translations  from 
the  foundation  of  the  Society,  and  that  this  policy 
is  required  by  their  Constitution  and  the  Address  of 
the  Convention  that  formed  the  Society,  they  would 
not  be  bound  by  any  principle  of  law  or  equity  to 


138  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

dispose  of  funds  contributed  without  condition, 
otherwise  than  as  their  Constitution  prescribed  ;  of 
course,  not  to  return  them  to  the  donors  or  give  th^m 
to  another  Society.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  Ma- 
nagers have  adopted  a  new  line  of  poUcy,  not  re- 
quired by  the  Constitution  or  Address,  but  antago- 
nist to  principles  contained  in  one  of  those  docu- 
ments, and  contrary  to  their  previous  course  of 
action — a  policy  which  excludes  a  portion  of  the 
donors  from  the  justly  expected  benefits  of  their 
donations — the  duty  of  the  Managers  is  evidently 
to  retrace  their  steps,  rescind  their  resolutions,  aban- 
don their  new  line  of  policy,  and  resume  harmo- 
nious action  with  those  whom  they  have  disaffected- 
If  indeed  insuperable  obstacles  to  the  professed  and 
established  constitutional  action  of  a  Society  occur, 
it  may  then  be  proper  to  disorganize  and  divide  the 
funds,  and  reorganize  upon  different  principles. 
Such  an  emergency  no  one  professes  to  have  disco- 
vered, and  we  think  that  we  have  proved  in  the 
preceding  articles  that  the  true  state  of  the  case  is 
one  which  requires  the  Managers  to  return  to  the 
policy  which  for  twenty  years  they  pursued  with 
satisfaction  to  all  their  constituents. 

Under  these  circumstances  we  should  not  on  tlie 
present  occasion  allude  to  the  amount  of  funds 
contributed  by  Baptists  to  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety, had  not  more  than  one  quarter  oi  the  circular 
of  the  Managers  been  devoted  to  an  earnest  endea- 
vour to  show  how  small  a  sum  had  really  been  re- 
ceived from  our  denomination.    We  do  not  mean 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  139 

to  censure  tliem  for  this  attempt,  although  we  do 
not  admire  the  manner  in  which  it  has  been  pro- 
secuted. 

Where  a  difference  of  opinion  exists  regarding 
monetary  calculations,  we  believe  that  it  is  not  cus- 
tomary for  one  party  alone  to  examine  the  books, 
and  publish  a  statement  founded  upon  them,  with- 
out extending  an  invitation  for  some  person  or  per- 
sons interested  for  the  other  party  to  be  present. 
The  propriety  of  such  an  invitation  we  imagine  to 
be  most  manifest,  especially  when  the  accuracy  of 
the  supposed  calculations  depends  upon  a  know- 
ledge of  numerous  names  and  persons  with  whom 
the  second  party  can  alone  be  believed  to  be  ac- 
quainted. In  the  present  instance,  the  difficulties 
attending  a  contrary  course  of  procedure,  appear  to 
have  been  felt  by  the  Managers. 

"  In  relation  to  Life  Members,  it  is  not  easy  to  determine  the  pre- 
cise number  belonging  to  the  Baptist  persuasion.  In  looking  over  a 
list  of  more  than  4,000  names,  not  more  than  about  100  can  be  thus 
identified,  while  several  of  these  were  constituted  members  by  those 
of  other  creeds,  and  several  more  are  still  friendly  to  the  Society. 
But  allowing  there  were  150  Life  Members,  each  of  which  has  con- 
tributed $30,  the  total  would  amount  to  no  more  than  $4,500,  to  be 
added  to  $600  for  Life  Directorships." 

On  the  other  hand  the  Rev.  B.  M.  Hill,  a  resident 
of  this  city  when  the  circular  of  the  Managers  was 
pubhshed,  had  from  personal  examination  of  the 
Reports  from  1829  to  1836,  ascertained  that  there 
were  "  at  least"  "  46  laymen  and  female  Life  Mem- 
bers, by  the  payment  of  $1665 ;  and  140  clerical 


140  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

Life  Members,  by  the  payment  of  $5260,  all  of 
whom  are  Baptists." 

This  information  has  been  frequently  published 
and  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Managers  when 
they  issued  the  circular  ;  yet  they  have  not  availed 
themselves  of  any  opportunity  of  testing  its  accu- 
racy, nor  that  of  their  own,  by  inviting  the  aid  of 
persons  extensively  acquainted  with  the  names  and 
doings  of  Baptists,  while  preparing  their  statement. 

We  may  add,  that  the  list  of  names  of  Life  Mem- 
bers marked  by  Mr.  Hill  as  Baptists,  has  been  exa- 
mined by  several  of  the  oldest  and  most  intelligent 
Baptist  ministers  in  the  United  States,  and  by  them 
is  regarded  as  correct  so  far  as  it  extends.  It  would 
be  improper  not  to  add,  that  the  apprehended  defi- 
ciency consists  in  the  omission  of  names  of  persons, 
who,  from  lapse  of  time  and  other  circumstances, 
cannot  be  loit/i  certainty  designated  as  Baptists.  A 
perfect  list  would  probably  much  increase  the  num- 
ber of  Baptist  Life  Members. 

The  same  reasoning  applies  to  Life  Directors. 
The  Managers  can  out  of  400  find  only  four  from 
contributions  by  Baptists.  Mr.  Hill  has  found  at 
least  ten,  and  adds — 

<'  While  upon  this  subject  it  may  not  be  amiss  for 
me  to  remark  that,  while  the  above  proves  the  in- 
correctness of  the  assertion  that  ^  there  is  only  one 
Baptist  minister  a  Life  Director,'  it  is  only  true  in 
part  that  the  one  alluded  to,  was  constituted  such 
by  a  Presbyterian  elder.  That  minister  was  a  Life 
Member  by  the  payment  of  $30,  but  the  Presby- 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  141 

terian  elder  subsequently  made  a  large  donation  to 
the  Society,  and  availed  himself  of  the  constitu- 
tional privilege  of  nominating  a  number  of  his  per- 
sonal friends  as  Life  Directors  and  Members  ;  of 
this  number  the  minister  in  question  was  one,  by 
the  addition  of  $120  to  the  previous  subscription* 
Here,  also,  I  think  proper  to  notice  an  assertion  that 
one  person,  at  least,  has  been  very  forward  to  use 
as  an  argument  to  prove  the  unprofitableness  of  the 
Baptists  as  '  partners  in  the  joint  concern'  of  the 
American  Bible  Society,  that  is,  that  they  ha^^e  but 
few  names  on  the  list  ot  directors  and  members. 
Now,  those  lists  are  swelled  to  a  great  length  with 
names  which  appear  there,  not  always  upon  the 
credit  of  their  own  subscriptions,  but  of  large  dona- 
tions or  legacies  of  other  individuals.  One  instance 
of  which  I  have  named,  and  I  could  name  others. 
Indeed,  but  few  such  donations  have  been  made  by 
Paedo-bapti'sts  without  claiming  the  utmost  privi- 
lege of  that  sort  to  which  they  were  entitled  :  while 
on  the  other  hand,  the  Baptists,  who  either  did  not 
understand  the  advantage  of  such  things,  or  were 
entirely  indifferent  to  them,  gave  their  money  rea- 
dily, without  seeking  any  other  benefit  by  it  than 
that  of  blessing  the  world  with  the  word  of  God. 
I  know  of  nearly  §20,000  beiug  contributed  by 
Baptists  in  heavy  sums,  who  so  far  as  I  can  learn, 
did  not  confer  the  privilege  of  directorship  or  mem- 
bership upon  a  single  person.  And  the  church  of 
which  the  minister  just  alluded  to,  is  pastor,*  has 

*  S.  H.  Cone,  Pastor  of  the  Oliver-street  Baptist  church,  New- 
York,  is  the  indindual  thus  distinguished ;  and  the  $120  -were  paid 

13 


142  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

contributed  to  the  funds  of  the  Society  enough  to 
constitute  him  and  many  others,  Life  Directors,  if 
they  had  chosen  to  do  so.  Therefore,  although  I 
have  shown  that  the  Baptists  present  a  respectable 
number  of  names  whom  I  recognise  as  enjoying 
the  privilege  spoken  of,  (and  I  presume  there  are 
many  more  whose  names  I  never  heard,)  yet,  had 
the  liberal  benefactors  to  whom  I  have  alluded? 
chosen  to  avail  themselves  of  the  constitutional 
right  of  nominating,  the  Baptist  list  of  directors 
and  members  would  have  outnumbered  those  of 
any  other  denomination." 

We  shall  not  go  through  with  the  estimates  made 
by  Mr.  Hill,  although  from  extensive  correspond- 
by  Arthur  Tappan,  Esq.  As  the  mild  and  candid  correspondent  of 
the  Troy  Morning  Mail  has  thought  proper  to  bring  this  subject  be- 
fore the  public,  we  have  deemed  it  due  to  truth  and  justice  to  state 
the  following  facts:  In  1830,  a  legacy  of  $7,000,  left  by  John  With' 
ington,  a  Deacon  of  Oliver-street  church,  was  paid  to  the  treasurer 
of  the  American  Bible  Society.  In  1833,  a  legacy  of  $300  to  the 
game  Society,  was  bequeathed  by  Mrs.  Abijah  Marshall,  a  member 
of  the  same  church.  From  1830  to  1835  inclusive,  the  Oliver-street 
Female  Bible  Society,  being  a  branch  of  the  New-York  Female  Bible 
Society,  auxiliary  to  the  American  Bible  Society,  paid  in  like  manner 
$786  72.  This  sum  was  of  course  credited  to  the  New-York  Fe- 
male Bible  Society,  and  Pgedo-baptists,  at  a  distance,  would  never 
dream  that  the  money  had  been  given  by  Baptists.  This  is  a  single 
instance  of  Baptist  co-operation  with  the  American  Bible  Society  in 
former  years.  How  many  similar  cases  exist,  we  have  not  the 
means  of  ascertaining ;  but  enough  is  certainly  known  to  convince 
every  unprejudiced  mind,  that  the  single  Baptist  minister  in  ques- 
tion might  have  enjoyed  the  honour  of  being  Life  Director  of  the 
American  Bible  Society,  without  the  intervention  of  foreign  aid ; 
and  that  all  insinuations  about  Baptists  being  "unprofitable  partners 
in  the  joint  concern,"  are  too  vague  and  unfounded  to  be  safely  re- 
iterated. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  143 

ence  on  the  subject  since  the  commencement  of 
these  articles,  we  are  convinced  that  in  placing  the 
sum  total  of  Baptist  contributions  at  $100,000,  he 
has  confined  himself  very  far  within  the  true 
amount.  A  strong  argument  against  Baptist  liberal- 
ity has  been  constructed  by  the  Managers  from  the 
fact,  that  only  one  of  our  denomination  contributed 
for  the  building  erected  by  the  Bible  Society.  No 
allusion  is  made,  however,  to  a  fact  equally  import- 
ant to  this  view  of  the  case,  that  Baptists  are  al- 
most universally  opposed  to  this  kind  of  endowment 
of  voluntary  societies.  Our  Foreign  Mission,  Home 
Mission,  American  and  Foreign  Bible,  and  our  Pub- 
lication Societies  are  all  destitute  of  such  endow- 
ments. We  design  to  express  no  opinion  upon  the 
propriety  or  expediency  of  such  views,  but  we  state 
well  known  facts,  that  Baptists  in  this  country  con- 
duct their  most  efficient  Societies  without  the  pos- 
session of  buildings,  and  that  they  entertain  strong 
objections  against  the  endowment  of  voluntary  in- 
stitutions by  the  possession  of  any  kind  of  perma- 
nent funds. 

While,  as  we  have  stated,  there  is  sufficient  evi- 
dence that  the  contributions  of  Baptists  have 
amounted  to  more  than  $100,000,  it  must  be  borne 
in  mind  that  in  many  parts  of  the  country,  the 
Baptists  constituted  one-third,  and  in  some,  as  in 
Chenango  county,  of  this  state,  and  in  Beaufort 
District,  S.  C,  more  than  one  half  of  the  supporters 
of  the  American  Bible  Society  ;  yet  it  was  a  prin- 
ciple invariably  observed  by  them,  to  denominate 


144  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

no  auxiliary  even  when,  as  in  some  instances, 
composed  wholly  of  Baptists,  by  a  denominational 
title. 

It  must  be  obvious  to  all  who  reflect  upon  the 
matter,  that  sufficient  information  concerning  the 
contributions  of  Baptists,  to  enable  a  person  to  form 
correct  estimates,  could  not  be  procured  from  Psedo- 
baptists  alone.  If  the  question  were  asked,  how 
much  have  Presbyterians  contributed  to  the  Ame- 
rican Bible  Society,  there  would  be  a  manifest  im- 
propriety in  requesting  Baptists  alone  to  point  out 
who  among  the  contributors  were  Presbyterians, 
and  what  proportion  they  gave  in  certain  districts, 
and  then  to  publish  the  result  to  the  world  as  the  sum 
of  Presbyterian  benefactions.  Yet  in  the  present 
instance,  from  all  our  inquiries  upon  the  subject, 
we  cannot  ascertain  that  a  single  Baptist  has  been 
applied  to  for  information  which  never  could  have 
been  procured  from  Paedo-baptists. 

Of  the  $100,000  supposed  by  Mr.  Hill  to  have 
been  contributed  by  Baptists,  from  forty  to  fifty 
thousand  were  included  in  legacies.  The  Mana- 
gers admit  318,000  in  the  following  words  : 

"  The  aggregate  of  legacies  received  from  Baptists,  so  far  as  known 
to  the  Board,  is  no  more  than  $18,000 ;  namely,  from  the  estate  of 
John  Fleetwood  Marsh,  deceased,  of  Eastchester,  New- York, 
$10,000  ;  from  that  of  John  Withington,  of  New- York,  $7,000;  and 
from  that  of  Josiah  Penfield,  of  Georgia,  $1,000." 

Of  the  rest  of  the  sum  they  thus  dispose  : 

«'  But  it  is  said  that  although  the  $40,000  or  50,000  of  legacies 
spoken  of  as  furnished  to  the  Society  may  not  as  yet  be  actually  paid 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  145 

over,  still  that  sum  will  be  paid  from  the  residuum  of  the  estate  of 
Mr.  Marsh,  according  to  the  provisions  of  his  will.  The  American 
Bible  Society,  it  is  true,  is  one  of  the  residuary  legatees  of  said  estate. 
How  far  there  is  a  prospect  of  any  speedy  avails  from  this  qiiarter 
will  be  seen  after  reading  the  following  letter  from  the  executor. 
This  letter  was  procured  in  consequence  of  a  statement  in  the  Bap- 
tist Advocate  in  relation  to  this  residuum,  that  *  a  simple  legal  pro- 
cess is  alone  necessary  to  transfer  it  to  their  (American  Bible  So- 
ciety's) coffers — a  process  which  the  Board  can  at  its  own  option 
pursue.' 

"Hackensack,  18th  Jan.  1840. 
"  Dear  Sir, — In  reply  to  your  letter  of  the  loth  instant,  respect- 
ing information  of  the  present  condition  of  the  legacy  left  by  the  late 
Mr.  Marsh  to  the  American  Bible  Society,  I  have  to  state  that  by  the 
will  of  Mr.  Marsh,  the  Society,  in  addition  to  the  legacy  of  $10,000 
which  has  been  paid,  are  residuary  legatees  in  common  with  the 
grand- children  and  their  children  of  the  eight  uncles  of  the  testator, 
the  Society  to  receive  one-third — the  aforesaid  children  the  other  two- 
thirds.  The  residuary  legatees  are  very  numerous,  and  scattered 
throughout  England.  We  have  ascertaihed  about  one  hundred,  and, 
from  information  received,  there  are  at  least  as  many  more  whoso 
names  we  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain.  Proceedings  have  been 
instituted  in  the  Court  of  Chancery  to  have  the  estate  settled,  but 
from  various  causes  it  has  not  been  brought  to  a  close,  and  when  it 
will  be,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  say.  I  am  advised  that  I  cannot 
safely  pay  any  of  the  residuary  legatees  without  having  them  all 
brought,  in  some  way,  into  court,  so  as  to  be  bound  by  a  decree,  in 
order  to  a  final  settlement  of  the  estate. 

Very  respectfully,  yours,  &c. 

James  Hague." 

We  have  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Hague  to  different 
individuals,  that  the  portion  of  the  residuum  thus 
coming  to  the  American  Bible  Society  was,  several 
years  ago,  not  less  than  §25,000,  and  we  know  that 
at  the  compound  interest  which  by  skilful  manage- 
ment it  draws,  the  present  amount  is  more  than 
13* 


146  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

$30,000.  Here,  so  far  as  it  can  affect  the  argumentj 
the  matter  might  be  left,  since  the  legacy  is  as  much 
a  bequest  of  a  Baptist  to  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety as  though  the  money  had  been  actually  re- 
ceived and  were  already  expended.  But  as  the 
Managers  make  an  important  point  of  the  fact  that 
the  money  has  not  yet  been  paid  over,  it  becomes 
us  to  look  at  Mr.  Hague's  note.  The  first  part  of 
it  is  founded  upon  the  will.  One  third  of  the  resi- 
duum of  the  property  is  to  be  paid  to  the  Society. 
The  specific  legacies  have  been  paid  and  the  resi- 
duum is  in  the  executor's  hands.  No  clause  in  the 
will  prevents  him  from  paying  the  residuary  lega- 
tees so  soon  as  he  can  ascertain  the  amount  to 
which  they  are  legally  entitled.  It  must  be  evident 
at  a  glance  that  the  share  of  the  Society  is  not  in 
the  least  affected  by  the  number  of  the  other  resi- 
duary legatees.  There  may  be  one  or  there  may 
be  ten  thousand  of  the  latter,  and  still  the  Society's 
share  would  be  in  either  case  precisely  one  third  of 
the  whole  amount  now  in  the  executor's  hands.  It 
is  true  that  he  may  require  a  bond  of  indemnity 
from  the  Society  before  paying  over  the  money,  but 
it  is  equally  true  that  in  the  case  of  John  Withing- 
ton  a  similar  bond  was  demanded  and  freely  given. 
It  is  also  true  that  Mr.  Hague  has  said  on  more 
than  one  occasion,  as  we  have  been  informed,  that 
he  is  prepared  to  pay  over  the  money  whenever 
such  bond  is  given. 

We  here  leave  this  painful  subject,  and  with  it 
we  terminate  our  remarks  upon  the  circular. 


AND    THE    BAPTISTS.  147 

It  was  our  original  design  to  sum  up  the  facts 
and  arguments  which  we  have  adduced  to  disprove 
the  statements  and  confute  the  reasoning  of  the  Ma- 
nagers, but  we  fear  to  trespass  so  much  on  the  pa- 
tience of  our  readers.  Enough  has  been  said  to 
convince  every  candid  person  that  the  late  policy 
of  the  American  Bible  Society  towards  the  Baptists 
is  unjustifiable,  and  that  the  course  of  reasoning  by 
which  the  Managers  have  endeavoured  to  sustain 
it,  is  unsound  in  argument  and  incorrect  in  matters 
of  fact. 

Such  is  the  history  of  the  events  which  produced 
the  separation  between  the  American  Bible  Society 
and  the  Baptists.  The  latter  had  for  nearly  twenty 
years  cordially  co-operated  with  other  evangelical 
denominations  in  the  dissemination  of  the  lively 
oracles  of  God.  They  wished  no  separation  ;  they 
sought  it  not.  They  adopted  no  new  line  of  policy ; 
they  propagated  no  novel  doctrine  ;  they  changed 
no  existing  relation.  Yet  in  the  midst  of  apparent 
prosperity,  when  the  coffers  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  were  overflowing,  and  new  fields  of  useful- 
ness were  eagerly  sought  for  the  disbursement  of 
rapidly  increasing  means,  the  Baptists  were  cut  off 
from  participation  in  the  funds.  The  measure  was 
adopted  in  a  season  of  profound  peace,  when,  more 
than  at  any  preceding  period,  evangelical  denomi- 
nations in  this  country  were  united  in  benevolent 
action.  It  was  adopted,  not  only  without  provoca- 
tion on  our  part,  but  against  our  most  earnest  pro- 
testations.    It  was  adopted  in  view  of  the  heathen 


148  AMERICAN    BIBLE    SOCIETY 

perishing  for  lack  of  knowledge,  and  in  the  face  of 
an  infidel  world  ready  to  rejoice  at  dissension 
among  professing  christians. 

The  American  Bible  Society  is  no  longer  what  it 
was.  It  once  towered  majestically,  a  pyramid  of 
christian  benevolence.  Firm  in  the  strength  of  its 
impartiality  and  its  disinterestedness,  it  bid  fair  to 
withstand  for  centuries  the  varying  winds  of  de- 
nominational feeling,  or  even  the  fierce  storms  of 
sectarian  persecution.  It  feared  no  danger  from 
enemies. 

But  in  a  moment  of  profound  calm,  its  professed 
friends,  the  very  guard  entrusted  ivith  its  defence^ 
have  loosed  and  thrown  out  from  the  base  one  of 
the  massive  stones  that  sustained  the  immense  su- 
perstructure ;  and  it  now  stands — a  still  towering 
fabric — but  mutilated,  disfigured,  and  weakened. 


APPENDIX. 


Ik  preparing  the  present  volume  for  the  press,  we  had  designed  to 
Compile  a  tabular  view  of  the  rendering  of  /^arrrt^w  in  ancient  and 
modern  versions  of  the  Scriptures,  and  had  secured  the  promise  of 
friends  to  assist  in  the  undertaking.  In  the  mean  while  the  pam- 
phlet, the  title  page  of  which  is  given  below  has  made  its  appear- 
ance, and  covers  nearly  the  whole  ground. 


A  Critical  examination  of  the  rendering  of  the  xcord  ^a-zvi^ij)  tn  the 
ancient  and  many  of  the  modern  versions  of  the  New  Testament, 
ivith  especial  reference  to  Dr.  Henderson' s  animadversions  upon 
Mr.  Greenfield's  statements  on  the  suhjcct.  By  F.  W.  Gotch, 
A.  R ,  Trinity  College,  Dublin.  London:  Thomas  Ward  <f  Co. 
Paternoster  Row. 

PREFACE. 

In  laying  before  the  Public  this  little  work,  the  author  is  well 
aware  that  he  exposes  himself  to  the  charge  of  having  spent  more 
labour  upon  a  matter  of  verbal  criticism,  and  that  too  relating  to  a 
ritual  obser^-ance,  than  was  warranted  by  the  importance  of  the  sub- 
ject. 

To  anticipate  such  a  charge  may  not  prevent  its  being  made :  yet, 
as  it  is  not  likely  that  the  writer  will  have  any  other  opportunity  of 
justifying  himself,  he  may  be  allowed  to  observe,  that  whilst  fully  ad- 
mitting the  small  importance  of  his  subject,  compared  with  those 
which  involve  the  very  spirit  and  life  of  the  gospel,  he  yet  cannot  re- 
gard it  an  unimportant  thing  to  ascertain  the  truth  in  any  matter  con- 
nected with  the  standing  laws  of  Christ's  kingdom. 


150  APPENDIX. 

The  translations  of  the  New  Testament  now  made  for  infant 
churches  will  probably  exercise  a  powerful  and  enduring  influence  on 
the  future  developement  of  Christianity  in  heathen  lands.  No  effort, 
therefore,  to  render  these  versions  as  perfect  as  the  limits  of  human 
knowledge  will  permit,  even  in  respect  to  subjects  of  secondary  im- 
portance, can  properly  be  looked  upon  as  superfluous  labour. 

Those  who  are  most  aware  of  the  difficulty  of  attaining  perfect  ac- 
curacy where  various  languages  are  used,  will,  he  feels  assured,  not 
only  be  most  ready  to  pardon  blemishes,  but  to  give  credit  to  the 
printer  for  the  beauty  of  the  foreign  type,  and  the  correctness  with 
which  it  is  employed. 

BoxMOOR,  Herts,  January,  1841. 


CRITICAL    EXAMINATION. 

In  the  course  of  the  controversy  which  has  for 
the  last  few  years  been  carried  on  respecting  the 
mode  of  translating  the  words  which  designate  the 
ordinance  of  Christian  Baptism,  appeals  have  been 
confidently  made,  by  both  parties,  to  the  general 
practice  of  former,  and  especially  of  ancient  trans- 
lators. It  has  been  affirmed,  on  the  one  hand,  that 
the  melhod  adopted  by  the  Baptist  Missionaries  is 
altogether  an  innovation  ;  and,  on  the  other,  that  it 
is  sanctioned  by  a  great  majority  of  the  ancient,  and 
by  many  of  the  modern  versions. 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  truth  between  these  con- 
flicting statements,  it  seems  desirable  that  the  ques- 
tion should  be  taken  up  simply  as  one  of  criticism, 
and  that  we  should  examine  de  novo  the  versions 
which  have  been  appealed  to.  The  following  pages 
contain  an  attempt  at  such  an  examination.  It 
has  been  undertaken  from  no  love  of  controversy, 


APPENDIX,  161 

nor  from  any  desire  to  support  or  vindicate,  by  an 
ex-parte  statement,  the  movements  of  any  particu- 
lar section  of  the  Christian  church.  It  has  origin- 
ated in  the  desire  of  the  author,  first  of  all  to  as- 
certain for  himself  the  truth  ;  and  then,  as  far  as  he 
is  able,  to  give  to  others  the  means  of  forming  a 
correct  judgment  on  a  subject  of  no  small  import- 
ance in  itself;  but  of  much  more  in  its  conse- 
quences, as  it  bears  upon  the  general  question  of 
the  manner  in  which  translations  should  be  made. 

It  should  be  distinctly  understood,  that  it  forms 
no  part  of  the  present  design  to  inquire  into  the 
meaning  of  the  Greek  word  ^ami^io  :  the  only  point 
to  which  the  author's  attention  is  directed,  is,  How 
is  this  word  rendered  by  translators  ? 

The  results  to  which  this  investigation  leads  will 
be  more  properly  stated  at  the  close  of  it.  To  refer 
to  them  now,  would  only  be  to  prejudice  the  minds 
of  readers  for  or  against  the  statements  made,  ac- 
cording to  their  previous  predilections.  It  seems 
desirable,  however,  before  we  enter  on  the  exami- 
nation of  particular  versions,  that  we  should  glance 
at  the  critical  inquiries  which  have  been  already 
made  on  the  subject. 

Robinson,  in  his  History  of  Baptism,  appeals  fre- 
quently  to  the  authority  of  versions.  His  notices, 
however,  are  not  only  scattered,  but,  in  general, 
very  cursory.  The  first  occasion  of  any  thing  like 
a  critical  examination  of  the  words  employed  in 
the  versions  appears  to  have  been  the  attack  made 
upon  the  Serampore  Mahratta  Version  of  the  New 


152  APPENDIX. 

Testament,  in  the  Asiatic  Journal  for  September, 
1829.  It  was  there  brought  as  a  charge  against 
Dr.  Carey  and  his  colleagues,  that  they  had  "  ren- 
dered to  '  baptize'  by  a  phrase  compounded  contrary 
to  the  idiom  of  the  language,  but  which  can  signify 
nothing  else  than  to  give  a  dipjnng  or  immersion.^^ 
The  late  amiable  and  lamented  Mr.  Greenfield,  in 
his  defence  of  that  version,  met  this  charge  on  the 
grounds  that  the  phrase  was  idiomatic  ;  that  it  was 
a  correct  rendering  of  the  word  paTizil^co  ;  and  that 
to  render  it  by  a  term  signifying  immerse,  was  in 
accordance  with  established  usage.  It  is  to  this  last 
point  only  that  our  attention  is  now  directed.  "  It 
may  be  safely  affirmed,"  says  Mr.  Greenfield,  "  that 
many  of  the  most  accurate  and  valuable  versions, 
both  ancient  and  modern,  are  involved  in  the  same 
accusation,  and  that  there  is  no  one  which  is  di- 
rectly hostile  to  that  interpretation."  (p.  40.)  And 
he  adds  :  "  In  consistency,  if  that  aid"  {i.  e.  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society)  "  be  withdrawn 
from  the  Serampore  Missionaries  because  they  have 
rendered  ^aTZti^co  to  immerse,  then  must  it  also  be 
withdrawn  from  the  Churches  of  Syria,  of  Arabia, 
of  Abyssinia,  of  Egypt,  of  Germany,  of  Holland, 
of  Denmark,  &c. ;  and  the  venerable  Peshito  Sy- 
riac  Version,  the  Arabic  Versions  of  the  Propa- 
ganda, of  Sabat,  &c.,  the  Ethiopian,  the  Coptic,  and 
other  versions  must  all  be  suppressed."  (p.  44.) 
These  statements  were  supported  by  an  examina- 
tion of  the  terms  employed  in  the  versions  referred 
to. 


A  F  P  K  N  D  I  X  .  153 

The  account  Mr.  Greenfield  gave  of  the  versions 
met  an  immediate  denial,  in  a  critique  originally  pub- 
lished in  the  Congregational  Magazine  for  March, 
1830.  This  critique  has,  owing  to  recent  contro- 
versy, been  acknowledged,  and  the  part  relating  to 
this  question  reprinted,  by  Dr.  Henderson,  in  *•  a 
Letter  to  the  Rev.  A.  Brandram,  M,  A.,  on  the 
meaning  of  the  word  ^amiXa),  and  the  manner  in 
which  it  has  been  rendered  in  versions  sanctioned 
by  the  Bible  Society."  Dr.  Henderson  undertakes 
to  prove,  that  in  none  ef  the  versions  mentioned  by 
Mr.  Greenfield,  except  perhaps  the  Gothic,  does  the 
term  used  for  §a7izi^co  signify  to  immerse.  "  In  his 
tippeal  to  the  versions,"  says  Dr.  Henderson,  "  we 
cannot  but  deem  Mr.  Greenfield  peculiarly  unfor- 
tunate" (p.  10  :)  and  he  proceeds  to  support  his 
view  by  a  re-examination  of  several  of  the  versions 
under  consideration. 

An  examination  of  three  of  the  Eastern  versions 
(viz.  Syriac,  Ethiopian,  and  Coptic)  is  also  contain- 
ed in  a  pamphlet  relating  to  the  present  discussion, 
entitled  "  The  Bible  Translation  Society  of  the  Bap- 
tists uncalled  for  and  injurious.  By  a  Baptist. 
London,  1840." 

The  only  other  work  in  English,*  bearing  upon 
the  subject,  with  which  the  author  is  acquainted, 
is.  <•'  A  Review  of  Professor  Stuart  on  Christian 
Baptism,  by  the  Rev.  Willard  Judd :  New- York, 

*  Au^sti  has  some  remarks  on  the  versions  of  (^avri^oj,  in  his 
"  Handbuch  der  chrisilichen  Archaologie,"  to  which  subsequent 
reference  will  be  made. 

14 


154  APPENDIX. 

1836 ;"  where,  in  an  Appendix  of  sixteen  closely 
printed  pages,  the  results  of  an  examination  of  a 
very  extensive  list  of  versions,  ancient  and  modern, 
are  given. 

None  of  these  examinations  appear  to  the  author 
satisfactory.  The  last  mentioned  is  the  most  exten- 
sive ;  but  Mr.  Judd's  statements  are  very  brief,  and 
not  always  correct  as  to  the  facts.  Mr.  Greenfield's 
examination  was  undertaken  with  a  particular  ob- 
ject in  view,  to  which  he  has  closely  confined  him- 
self; and  he  therefore  is  altogether  silent  respecting 
several  of  the  ancient  versions.  The  same  remark 
applies  to  Dr.  Henderson,  who  wrote  in  answer 
merely  to  Greenfield.  The  authorities  adduced  by 
both  Greenfield  and  Judd  are  almost  entirely  the 
Lexicons  :  in  quoting  from  which,  it  should  be  re- 
marked, however,  the  former  gives  many  passages 
in  which  the  words  occur.  Dr.  Henderson,  on  the 
other  hand,  distrusts  the  authority  of  the  Lexicons ; 
but  he  seldom  gives  other  authority,  by  distinctly 
quoting  the  passages  in  which  the  words  occur  in 
the  senses  which  he  affixes  to  them. 

It  will  be  seen,  in  the  course  of  the  ensuing  pages, 
that  the  author  refers  to  Dr.  Henderson's  pamphlet 
more  frequently  than  to  any  other  of  those  men- 
tioned, and  that  he  has  the  misfortune  to  differ  from 
him  in  many  of  his  statements ;  yet  he  has  not 
thought  it  needful  directly  to  reply  to  all  that  he 
conceives  to  be  erroneous  in  Dr.  Henderson's  re- 
marks, much  less  to  confine  himself  to  those  ver- 
sions which  have  been  the  subject  of  controversy 


APPENDIX.  155 

between  him  and  Mr.  Greenfield.  His  object  is, 
throughout,  a  general,  and,  if  possible,  an  impar- 
tial examination  of  the  question  ;  assuming  as  little 
the  air  of  controversy  as  is  practicable  on  a  subject 
that  has  been  so  long  a  matter  of  debate. 

S   Y  R  I  A  C. 

The  New  Testament  was  very  early  translated 
into  the  Syriac  language.  The  Peshito  Syriac 
Version  is  generally  referred  to  the  beginning  of 
the  second  century :  by  some  critics,  even  to  the 
close  of  the  first.  The  Philoxenian  Version,  made 
under  the  authority  of  Philoxenus,  or  Xenayas, 
bishop  of  Hierapolis,  is  to  be  referred  to  the  begin- 
ning of  the  sixth  century.  Fragments  of  another 
version,  which  has  been  called  Palaestino-Syriac, 
have  been  discovered  in  the  library  of  the  Vatican  ; 
and  the  manuscript  containing  them  has  been  par- 
tially collated,  but  not  printed. 

Our  examination  properly  commences  with  the 
venerable  Peshito  Version.  It  is  considered  to  be 
the  earliest  version  extant:  the  language  diflfers, 
probably,  very  little  from  that  spoken  by  our  Lord 
and  his  disciples  ;*  and  besides,  with  regard  to  the 

*  Dr.  Henderson,  with  singular  infelicity,  refers,  in  a  note,  to  thi.s 
fact: — "When  our  Lord,"  he  says,  "gave  the  commission  to  his 
disciples  to  baptize  all  nations,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that 
he  employed  the  identical  word  found  in  the  Peshito  Syriac  version" 
(p.  11 ;)  the  meaning  of  which  he  affirms  to  be,  *  to  stand  up,''  '  stand 
erect.'  Yet  this  word  is  translated  (for  it  must  be  deemed  transla- 
tion, if  the  Syriac  be  the  original  term)  into  Greek  by  (iavri^w.     Does 


156  APPENDIX. 

particular  point  in  question,  it  may  be  considered 
the  parent  of  many  other  Eastern  Versions. 

The  root  which  it  employs  to  translate  ^w^rr/fw 
and    its    derivatives  is   uniformly     vXv  [amad.) 

Now,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  meaning  of  this 
term,  which  has  been  the  subject  of  much  discus- 
sion, we  have  to  consider,  in  the  first  place,  its  ety- 
mology, and  then  its  use.  It  is  almost  superfluous 
to  say  that  etymology  alone  will  not  suffice.  In 
every  language  we  may  find  innumerable  examples 
of  an  entire  departure  from  etymological  meaning ; 
and  in  languages  where  we  have  but  few  works  to 
refer  to,  we  shall  find  it  difiicult,  frequently  impos- 
sible, to  trace  the  gradations  of  meaning,  or  form 
any  probable  conjecture  of  the  process  by  which 
the  secondary  signification  was  produced. 

The  word  ^^"^  has  been  generally,  and  perhaps 
correctly  referred  to  the  same  root  as  the  Hebrew 
1^5?  (found  also  in  the  Arabic  and  Ethiopic  ;)  the 
general  meaning  of  which  is,  undoubtedly,  ^to 
stand.^  In  the  Syriac,  however,  I  am  not  aware  of 
any  instance  in  which  the  verb  has  such  a  mean- 
ino-,  or  any  of  the  words  which  are  apparently  de- 


the  Greek  term,  then,  ever  mean  *  to  stand  up,''  or  '  stand  erect  V  or, 
were  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  so  little  acquainted  with 
Greek  as  uniformly  to  substitute  /Janri^w  for  a  word  with  this  signi- 
fication ?  Unless  Dr.  Henderson  is  willing  to  acknowledge  a  mis- 
translation, in  this  instance,  on  the  part  of  inspired  men,  he  must 
acknowledge  that  the  meaning  he  has  given  to  the  word  is  not  its 
true  one.     It  is  not  that  which  they  gave  it. 


AP    PENDIX.  157 

rived  from  itj  except  l?ain^  a  pillar  or  column.'' 
Dr.  Henderson  indeed  asserts,  that  the  verb,  "like 
its  cognate  ^^3?  in  Hebrew,  signifies,  '  to  stand  up,^ 
'  stajid  erect  ;'t  but  he  gives  no  quotation  to  autho- 
rize such  a  meaning;  and  Michaelist  expressly 
states  that  he  does  not  find  in  the  Syriac  the  signi- 
fication of  standings  which  is  common  to  the  other 
Oriental  lanoruao:es,  unless  it  be  in  the  derivative 
above  mentioned. 

Another  derivation,  therefore,  as  is  well  known, 
has  been  proposed  by  Michaelis,  and  certainly  not 
without  plausibility.     He  derives  the  Syriac  word 

from  the  Arabic  .T^  {ghamata,)  which  signifies 


to  immerse,  instead  of  Jcix.  [ainada.)  The 
changes  of  the  letters  would  furnish  but  little  diffi- 
culty. The  Arabic  alphabet  is  so  much  more  co- 
pious than  the  Hebrew  or  the  Syriac,  that  roots 

*  The  writer  of  the  letters  on  the  "  Bible  Translation  Society  of 

the  Baptists"  speaks  of  derivatives  of  the  Syriac  g  S^.^  occurring 
"  in  tvvo  places,  1  Tim.  iii.  15.  and  Gal.  ii.  9.,  both  meaning  columns 
or  pillars."  It  is  somewhat  unusual  to  speak  of  the  singular  and 
plural  of  a  noun  (as  is  the  case  here)  as  two  derivatives  of  the  same 
root.     This  noun  also  occurs  in  Rev.  iii.  12.  and  x.  1, 

t  P.  10.  The  signification  of  the  Hebrew  is  not  emphatically 
stand  up  or  erect,  as  Dr.  Henderson's  statement  implies.  That  it 
may  occasionally  be  so  rendered  with  propriety,  is  not  denied ;  but 
it  cannot  be  always,  nor  indeed  frequently.  A  reference  to  any  Lexi-» 
con  will  show  that  the  idea  of  erectness  of  posture  is  no  part  of  the 
radical  meaning  of  the  word.  See  2  Chron.  ^^.  13,  where  it  is  said 
that  Solomon  "  stood,  and  kneeled  down  upon  his  knees," 

t  Lexicon  Syriacum  sub  voce. 

14* 


158  APPENDIX. 

which  m  that  language  are  distinct  are  frequently 
confounded  in  the  others.  x\s  an  example  of  this 
amalgamation  of  two  roots,  in  respect  to  the  letters 
£  (Ain)  and  £  (Ghain,)  the  root  ^^^  Heb.,  ^^j^. 
Syr.,  may  be  mentioned.     The  verb  ^^^-o.  means  to 

immerse  :  the  noun  ^^^-s>,  (Heb.  ^I^^i^)  «  finger ^ 
especially  the  first  or  index  finger.  Where  is  the 
connexion  between  the  two?  The  Arabic  makes 
it  clear,  by  referring  the  two  words  to  different  roots 
-^   {tsabaa)   "intendit  digitum,"    whence   ^r^^ 

{atsha)  "  digitus  ;"   and  "^  {tsahagha)   "  tinxit, 

immersit.'"*  Indeed,  there  could  be  no  distinction 
in  Syriac  between  c  and  a.    The  change  of  the 

v;i>  into  the  Syriac  ?  is  not  so  easy ;  yet  we  know 
that  letters  of  the  same  organ  are  interchangeable ; 
and  it  seems  to  have  been  on  this  general  principle 
that  Michaelis  rested,  since  he  gives  no  example  of 
such  a  change.  Hoifman,  in  his  Syriac  Grammar, 
gives  an  instance  of  a  precisely  similar  change  in 

a  proper  name,  "  Ariageram  j-i-4.5?] ,  ^^55<n  et 
'^^Zh<s\  scribunt."t  The  diflliculty  of  the  hypo- 
thesis, however,  is  this,  that  the  very  word  exists  in 
Arabic ;  and  is  used  (as  we  shall  afterwards  see) 
in  precisely  the  same  sense  as  it  is  in  the  Syriac, 
as  well  as  with  the  meaning  of  causing  to  stand, 

*  Freytag  Lex.  Arab,  sub  voce, 
t  HofFmanni  Gramraat.  Syr.  p   123. 


APPENDIX.  159 

or  supporting.  On  this  account,  a  derivation  from 
another  root  seems  forced.  If  it  be  at  all  admis- 
sible, it  must  be  explained  on  the  supposition  of  the 
word  already  in  use  among  the  Syrians  having  been 
adopted  from  them  by  the  Arabian  Christians,  to 
express  the  ordinance  of  baptism  without  reference 
to  their  own  word,  from  which  it  had  been  ori. 
ginally  derived.  Freytag,  in  his  larger  Lexicon, 
expressly  refers  to  the  Syriac  as  the  source  from 

which  j^  has  acquired  the  meaning  baptize. 
But  the  fact,  if  admitted,  proves  nothing  as  to  the 
^tj^mology. 

Augusti,  Professor  Stuart,  and  Dr.  Lee,  agree  in 
taking  the  primary  signification  to  be  '  to  stand  ;' 
and  deduce  the  meaning  '  baptize'  from  it,  through 
the  intervention  of  '  confirm^  the  rite  of  confirma- 
tion being  in  the  Eastern  Church  connected  with 
baptism.  A  Rabbinical  use  of  the  Hebrew  word 
seems  to  favour  this  account,  Buxtorf  gives,  as 
one  meaning  of  the  Hiphil  of  ^^5?,  constituere  ; 
and  quotes  from  the  Rabbinical  treatise,  Pirke 
avoth,  c.  1.  i^i):3?n  nn'in  d^n^^sb^  "  constituite 
discipulos  multos."* — This,  however,  furnishes  at 
best  a  very  precarious  ground  on  which  to  rest  the 
argument.  No  instance  is  adduced  of  the  Syriac 
word  ever  meaning  to  confirm  or  to  initiate.  Au- 
gusti's  method  of  explaining  why  a  word  signify- 
vag  '  confirmation,'  rather  than  one  whose  proper 
meaning  was  the  same  as  the  Greek  term,  should 

•  Buxtorf.  Lex.  Rabbia.  et  Talmud,  col.  1622. 


160  APPENDIX. 

be  used,  is  ingenious.  '•  We  may,"  he  says,  "  regard 
as  the  especial  ground  of  choice  of  this  word,  the 
fact,  that  the  Syrian  Church  could  not  well  take  the 
word  '  zabd*  for  this  purpose,  since  this  had  come 
into  misuse  and  bad  report  through  the  Zabians 
and  Hemerobaptists.  They  hesitated,  in  particu- 
lar, to  call  John  the  Baptist,  according  to  the  cus- 
tom of  his  false  followers,  ^abo  ;  but  they  chose 
the  apparently  fit  word  Maamdono  {^aTTtKjtTjgj) 
which  we  find  Matt.  iii.  1.  xi.  11.  They  chose  also 
the  word  Maamudito  ;  by  which  could  be  express- 
ed, not  indeed  the  nature  and  manner  of  the  rite, 
but  yet  the  design  and  effect  of  the  sacred  act,  in 
opposition  to  the  antichristian  and  heretical  lustra- 
tions."* No  proof,  however,  is  offered  by  Augusti, 
that  the  Mendai  Jahia,  or  disciples  of  John,  were  in 
existence  at  bO  early  a  period  as  that  of  the  Syriac 
Translation  ;t  and  even  if  this  were  established, 

*  August!  Handbuch  der  chiistlichen  Archaologie,  Vol.  TI.  pp. 
311,  312.     Leipzig,  1836. 

t  The  whole  history  of  this  sect  is  very  obscure.  It  was  a  current 
opinion  amongst  German  critics,  fifty  years  ago,  that  their  origin  was 
to  be  traced  to  some  disciples  of  John  the  Baptist  who  did  not  admit 
the  Divine  mission  of  Jesus,  and  that  the  Gospel  of  John  was  direct- 
ed against  their  errors.  See  Michaelis  Introd.  Vol.  III.  ch.  7.  $  4, 
5.  The  opinion  of  their  early  origin  is  still  maintained,  not  only  by 
Augusti,  but  also  by  Neander,  in  his  Allgemeine  Gesckichte  der 
christl.  Kirche,  1  B.  p.  646.  On  the  other  hand,  Knapp  (Scripta 
Varii  Argument!,  T.  I.  p.  159,)  Tittman  (Melemata  Sacra,  p.  15 
seqq.,)  and  other  critics,  deny  that  there  was  any  sect  of  John's  dis- 
ciples in  the  apostolic  age  ;  and  many  consider  them  a  Mahometan 
rather  than  a  Christian  sect  (Adelung's  Mithridates,  T.  I.  p.  339,) 
For  authorities  relating  to  theiU;  see  Kuinoel  Proleg.  in  Evang.  Joh. 


APPENDIX,  161 

proof  would  still  be  required  that  they  had  then 
assumed  the  desiornatioii  Zahians.X 

On  the  whole,  it  appears  that  we  can  gain  little 
from  the  etymology  of  the  word  :  for,  first,  there  is 
not  only  no  j:)roof  that  the  Syriac  word  is  connected 
etymologically  with  the  same  form  existing  in  cog- 
nate languages,  and  having  the  signification  '  to 
stanch^  but  there  are  some  grounds  for  suspecting  a 

$  5.     De  Wette  Lehrbiich  der  hist.'Crit.  Einleiiung  in  d.  N.  T.  ^ 
107.  b.     Credner  Einleiiung  in  d.  N.  T.  ^  100. 

X  Dr.  Henderson  refers  to  this  sect,  under  the  name  Mendai  Jahia, 
in  a  note  (p.  11;)  and  asserts  that  they  now  perform  baptism  by 
pouring;  using  the  formula,  "I  renew  thy  baptism,  in  the  name  of 
our  Father  and  Saviour  John,  who  in  this  manner  baptized  the  Jews 
in  Jordan,  &c."  Dr.  Henderson  does  not  give  his  authority  for  this 
statement ;  and  I  have  in  vain  sought  for  confirmation  of  it.  Robin- 
son (History  of  Baptism,  p.  496)  says,  all  are  agreed  that  they  ad- 
minister baptism  in  rivers  by  immersion.  The  German  authorities 
referred  to  above,  though  they  state  nothing  precisely  as  to  their  mode 
of  performing  baptism,  all  agree  in  representing  them  as  designated 
by  a  word  which  signifies  '  dippers.^  Their  assumption  of  the  name 
Zabians,  at  whatever  period,  invalidates  Dr.  Henderson's  argument, 
drawn  from  what  he  states  to  be  their  present  practice.  It  seems 
highly  improbable  that  they  should  at  first  pour,  then  immerse,  and 
now  again  ^o?«r.  It  was  indeed  formerly  said  that  the  name  Zabians 
or  Sabseans  was  given  them  from  their  worshipping  the  host  of  heaven, 
S>H^*,  (Sale's  Koran,  Prelim,  Diss.  p.  20.)  But  it  would  seem 
that  different  sects  were  confounded,  owing  to  the  similarity  of  their 
designations  :  and  all  recent  authorities  agree  in  deriving  the  desig- 

V 

nation  of  the   Mendai    Jahia  from   the    Syriac    word    xh-O.  ;  the 
meaning  of  which  Dr.  Henderson  gives,  "  to  sink,  dip,  or  put  under 
water."     See,  in  addition  to  the  authors  already  referred  to,  Mi- 
s' 
chaelis  Lex.  Syr.  sub  voce  '^j^.d.. 


162  APPENDIX. 

different  origin  ;  and,  secondly,  if  there  were  such 
a  connexion,  it  is  plain  that  it  is  not  in  that  sense 
that  it  could  be  employed  as  an  equivalent  for 
^aTiTi^co,  and  consequently  must  have  acquired  a 
secondary  meaning. 

We  must  therefore  appeal  to  the  use  of  the  word. 
On  this  point  the  Lexicons  are  decided.  Castel 
and  his  editor  Michaelis,  Buxtorf,  and  Schaaf,  are 
all  unanimous.  The  first  gives  the  following  mean- 
ings :  "  Ablutus  est,  baptizatus  est.  Aj^hel,  immer- 
sit,  baptizavit."  Buxtorf  gives,  "  Baptizari,  intingi. 
ablui,  abluere  se.  Ethp.  Idem.  Aphel^  baptizare." 
Schaaf:  "  Abkiit  se,  ablutus,  intinctus,  immersus  in 
aquam,  baptizatus  est.  Ethpeel^  Idem,  quod  Peal. 
Aphelj  immersit,  baptizavit."  Gutbier,  in  the  small 
Lexicon  afiixed  to  his  edition  of  the  Syriac  Testa- 
ment, gives  the  meanings,  "Baptizavit,  baptizatus 
est.  It.  sustentavit ;"  but  without  any  reference  to 
support  the  last  meaning,  and  it  is  apparently  intro- 
duced simply  for  the  purpose  of  deducing  from  the 

verb  the  noun  j^nViS  columna.  With  this  excep- 
tion, the  authority  of  the  Lexicons  referred  to  is 
altogether  against  any  such  meaning  as  "  to  stand." 
Schaaf  compares  the  word  with  the  Hebrew  ^^3^ 
stetit.  and  the  Arabic  ^y^^  Re  altlore,  columna^ 
Paloj  sustinuit.  fulsit^  stabilavit,  ercxit,  &c.,  but 
does  not  give  the  slightest  hint  that  any  of  these 
meanings  are  extant  in  the  Syriac  verb. 

The  authority  of  Lexicons,  however,  is  of  small 
account,  unless  it  can  be  confirmed  by  the  use  of 


APPENDIX,  163 

the  word.  We  therefore  proceed  to  an  examina- 
tion of  the  Syriac  Version,  and  Syrian  Authors,  on 
the  point  in  question. 

In  the  Syriac  New  Testament,  the  verb  ,-1^ 
occurs  eighty  times,  answering  in  seventy-nine  in- 
stances to  the  verb  puTTri^co,  in  one  (Matt.  iii.  7)  to 

the  noun  §d7TT(CfJia  :  the  noun  JJ,  Vi SV^  occurs  fif- 
teen  times,  answering  in  fourteen  instances  to 
pannazrig,  and  in   one   to   the  participle  ^a7iti<^(ov : 

,0    3:  >  y 

the  noun  jA  A^nV^Wn  occurs  thirty-one  times,  an- 
swering to  ^dnriGua  in  twenty-one  instances,  to 
^anriaiiog  in  four,  to  q)(oziG&8vt£g  in  two  (Heb.  vi.  4. 
and  X.  32.  where  '  bein/jr  enlightened'  is  manifestly 
taken  by  the  translator  as  a  figurative  expression 
for  having  been  baptized  in  accordance  with  the 
well-known  usage  of  the  Fathers  ;*)  and  to 
y.olvfi^r^d-Qa  in  four,  viz.  John  v.  2,  4,  7.  and  ix.  7. 
The  root  thus  is  used,  in  all,  in  126  instances. 
The  Greek  verb  ^anri^oj  occurs  eighty  times,  the 
noun  ^anriarrig  fourteen,  ^aTTtiafia  twenty-two,  and 
^anTiaiiog  four  ;  in  all,  120.  From  this  comparison 
it  will  be  seen,  that  in  every  instance  where  the 
word  ^aTTti^co,  or  any  of  its  derivatives,  is  employed 
in  the  Greek,  some  form  of  the  root    vp\  is  used  in 

*  Vid.  Suiceri  Thesaurus  EccleS.  sub.  voce  (^wri^<j.  To  obviate 
the  possible  objection,  which  this  interpretation  may  be  supposed  to 
furnish  to  the  antiquity  of  the  Syriac  Version,  it  may  be  remarked, 
that  Michaelis  on  other  grounds  supposes  that  the  translation  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  is  of  later  date  than  the  other  parts  of  the 
Peshito  Version. 


164  APPENDIX. 

the  Syriac,  and  that  the  noun  ]^^.^rXrsKC  (which 
signifies  both  baptism  and  baptistery)  is  used  where 
no  derivative  of  §a7rzi^(o  is  employed  ;  twice  as  a 
figurative  designation  of  '  baptism/  and  four  times 
in  a  sense  connected  with  the  meaning  '  baptistery,' 
as  the  translation  of  xoXvi^^i^'&Qa,  a  pool^  or  bath- 
ing place  ;  a  use  which  the  noun,  signifying  the 
place  where  baptism  was  performed,  could  scarcely 
have  acquired,  unless  the  verb  designating  the  act 
of  baptism  had  been  understood  to  mean  bathe  or 
immerse.  We  are,  moreover,  warranted  in  con- 
cluding, that  though  the  term  was  peculiarly  ap- 
propriated to  the  rite  of  Christian  baptism,  as  is 
manifest  from  its  being  used  as  the  translation  of 
(foatiad^ivTEg^  it  was  nevertheless  regarded  by  the 
Syriac  translator  as  synonymous  with  ^aTzzi^oj  in 
all  the  senses  in  which  that  word  is  used  in  the 
New  Testament,  and  not  as  simply  expressive  of 
the  Christian  rite  :  see,  e,  g.  Mark  vii.  4.  Luke 
xi.  38.  where  the  word  is  used  in  reference  to  Jew- 
ish ablutions.  These  examples  preclude  the  idea 
of  taking  one's  station  at  or  in  the  water,  which, 
according  to  Dr.  Henderson,  is  its  meaning ;  and 
that  of  confirming,  which  Augusti  and  Dr.  Lee 
maintain.  The  meaning  which  the  translator  de- 
signed to  convey  in  these  passages,  was  neither  of 
these,  but  ablution.  Dr.  Henderson's  view,  or  Au- 
gusti's  may  explain  how  the  word  came  to  have 
this  meaning ;  and  many  other  hypotheses  may  do 
the  same ;  but  the  fact  seems  clear,  that  it  had  ac- 


APPENDIX.  165 

quired  in  the  time  of  the  Syriac  translator  the  mean- 
inof  which  the  Lexicons  give,  "  ahluit  seJ* 

In  the  Syriac  Translation  of  the  Old  Testament, 
which  was  made  about  the  same  time  as  that  of  the 
New,  the  word  ^<Jv  is  used  in  one  instance,  and 

signifies  'immersion,'  or  'passing  through  water' 
(Num.  xxxi.  23.)  "  All  that  abideth  not  the  fire,  ye 
shall  make  go  through  the  water."  ^(jio^^a^] 
)  aV^^  "  Ye  shall  im^nerse  in  waters 

Ephraim  Syrus,  who  lived  in  tlie  fourth  century, 
uses  the  word  frequently,  and,  as  far  as  I  have  been 
able  to  discover,  always  in  reference  to  Christian 
baptism.  In  many  cases,  the  connexion  in  which 
it  stands,  implies  that  he  understood  by  it  '  immer- 
sion ;'  as,  for  example,  in  a  hymn  in  which  he 
speaks  of  the  spirit  and  fire  visible  in  different 
parts  of  the  life  of  Christ :  "  Behold  the  fire  and 

the  spirit  "oLO 5  ]?3iJs  A^offijisa^  in  the  river  in 
which  thou  wast  baptized  !''*  This  however  might 
be  explained,  according  to  Dr.  Henderson's  hypo- 
thesis, of  a  "  person's  taking  his  station  at  or  in  the 
water."  The  following  instance,  however,  is  ex- 
plicit, and  seems  liable  to  no  such  exception.  Speak- 
ing again  of  Christ,  he  says,  "  How  wonderful  is  it 
that  thy  footsteps  were  planted  on  the  waters  ;  that 

the  great  sea  should  subject  itself  ^^c\,^Z^  qSa> 
to  thy  feet ;  and  that  yet  at  a  small  river  that  same 

•  Assemanni  Bibliotheca  Orientalis,  T.  I.  p.  101. 

15 


166  APPENDIX. 

head  of  thine  should  be  subjected  to  he  bowed  dowfi 
and  baptized  in  it  f^^     y-i^9   ooi   >_£]  j^oJ^I  ]?aii^ 

OLS  ji^o  ^?5 .  io^oi  f.s>^Lk,]*  In  this  exam- 
ple, not  only  is  the  manner  of  the  baptism  express- 
ed by  the  word   ^5   (which  is  found  in  John  xix. 

30.  "  he  bowed  his  head,")  united  with  ,IaL.,  but 
there  is  a  contrast  drawn  between  the  sea  being 
subjected  to  the  feet  of  Christ,  and  his  head  being 
subjected  to  a  small  river  ;  which  seems  to  admit 
of  no  other  sense,  than  that,  as  the  sea  was  placed 
under  his  feet,  so  his  head  was  placed  under  the 
river. 

In  the  Ritual  of  the  Nestorians,  which  is  record- 
ed to  have  been  compiled  by  Jesujabus  Adjabenus.f 
Patriarch  of  this  section  of  the  Syriac  Church  from 
the  year  650  to  660,+  there  occur  the  following  di- 
rections, respecting  the  administration  of  baptism : 
— "  The  deacons,  properly  attired,  lead  the  children 
covered  with  a  veil,  lest  the  holy  oil  should  touch 
their  garments ;  and  bring  them  to  the  priest,  who^ 
standing  on  the  western  side  of  Jordan,  [i.  e.  the 
iont  or  baptistery]  turns  the  face  of  the  child  to  the 

east,  and  dips  him  in  water ^  \  *Vio  ci^  ^  ^i^LSp 

*  Ephraim  Syri  Opera  Gr.  Syr.  et  Lat.  studio  Assemanni.  Rom, 
17o2 — 46  T.  III.  p.  24.  It  is  much  to  be  lamented  that  there  is  no 
index  to  this  splendid  edition  of  the  works  of  Ephraim;  doubtless, 
with  such  aid,  other  passages  might  be  found.  As  it  is,  this,  which 
is  the  fruit  of  a  somewhat  laborious  search,  must  suffice. 

t  Assemanni  Bibliotheca  Orientalis,  T.  III.  Pt.  2.  p.  ccxli. 

^Ibid.  T.  Ill.Pt.  l.p.  113. 


APPENDIX.  167 

and  lays  his  hand  upon  his  head  and  says,  Such  a 
one  is  baptized  ^-^  r^^  i^  ^^^  name  of  the 
Father,  dec."*  Here  ^^"^  is  evidently  consi- 
dered to  be  synonymous  with  \^^,  the  meaning 

of  which  isj  unqestionably,  to  be  immersed. 

This  examination  leads  us  to  a  very  different 
conclusion  from  that  of  Dr.  Henderson,  who  asserts 
that  ''such  a  sense  (viz.  of  immersing)  cannot  be 
proved  to  attach  either  to  the  etymology  of  the  word 
or  to  its  actual  use  in  any  part  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment" (p.  10 ;)  and  afterwards,  that  the  reader  of 
the  Syriac  New  Testament  has  only  to  consult  the 
passages  in  which  baptism  is  spoken  of,  and  he  will 
find  that  this  ancient  and  venerable  version,  so  far 
from  yielding  any  support  to  the  hypothesis  that 
immersion  of  the  body  in  water  is  the  mode  in 
which  John  and  our  Lord's  disciples  performed  that 
rite,  goes,  on  the  contrary,  to  establish  the  opinion 
that  it  was  performed  by  the  application  of  water 
to  the  body  in  a  standing  posture,  such  as  we  find 
in  the  ancient  representations"  (p.  11.)  Now,  with 
regard  to  the  etymology  of  the  word,  it  is  readily 
conceded,  that  from  that,  immerse  cannot  be  prov- 
ed to  be  its  meaning.  But  as  respects  its  use,  it  has 
been  shown  to  be  absolutely  necessary  to  give  some 
other  meaning  than  that  of  "  standing  ;"  and  that 
the  meaning  which  actually  is  given  in  the  version 
of  the  Bible,  as  well  as  by  Syriac  writers,  is  iininer- 
sion  or  ablution. 

*  Asaemanni  Bibliotheca  Orientalis,  T.  III.  Pt.  2.  p.  ccxliii. 


16y  APPENDIX. 

It  is  no  answer  to  this  statement  to  say,  with  Dr. 
Henderson,  that  "  where  a  word  signifying  *  to  dipj' 
is  required,  the  verb  employed  is  not  ^^^^  the  verb 
uniformly  used  in  reference  to  baptism,  but  ^^^-». ," 
if  it  has  been  shown  that  the  meaning  of  the 
former   word  is  immerse.     No  one  doubts  that 

^^b-o,  has  that  meaning,  but  it  does  not  therefore 
follow  that  j^^  has  not. 

The  Philoxenian  Syriac  Version  does  not  re- 
quire a  special  examination.  The  same  word  is 
used  there  as  in  the  Peshito,  and  of  course  with  the 
same  meaning. 

ARABIC. 

The  Arabic  Versions  next  claim  our  attention, 
not  on  account  of  their  antiquity  or  critical  autho- 
rity, but  because  they  are,  particularly  as  regards 
the  question  under  consideration,  connected  with 
the  Syriac.  The  history  of  the  early  Arabian  Ver- 
sions is  very  obscure.  The  first  printed  edition  of 
the  Gospels  is  that  published  at  Rome  in  1590 ; 
and  the  same  impression,  with  another  title-page, 
bearing  the  date  1619.  Michaelis  considers  that 
this  version  must  have  been  long  and  generally 
known  in  Asia ;  and  Marsh  refers  it  to  a  period  not 
later  than  the  eleventh  century.  How  much  earlier 
it  may  be,  there  is  no  evidence  to  decide.  No  Ara- 
bic Version,  however,  it  is  generally  supposed,  can 
be  referred  to  an  earlier  period  than  the  seventh 


APPENDIX.  1 69 

century.  From  this  edition,  the  Arabic  Gospels  in 
the  Paris  Polyglott  (1645,)  and  the  London  Poly- 
glott  (1657,)  were,  with  some  alteration,  taken. 
Erpenius  published  the  New  Testament  in  Arabic 
at  Leyden,  in  1616,  from  a  manuscript  of  the  thir- 
teenth or  fourteenth  century.  His  edition  is  very 
much  esteemed,  but,  unfortunately,  very  rare.  With 
regard  to  the  Gospels,  it  is  said  to  present  the  same 
version  substantially  as  the  edition  at  Rome.  The 
remaining  books  of  the  New  Testament  in  the 
Paris  Polyglott  were  printed  from  a  manuscript  of 
the  fourteenth  century,  and  from  it  reprinted  in  the 
London  Polyglott.*  Besides  these  ancient  versions 
there  are,  the  Version  of  the  Propaganda  at  Rome 
(1671,)  and  of  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian 
Knowledge,  London,  1727  ;  both  of  which  have 
for  their  basis  the  Polyglott  Version,  but  have  been 
altered  by  their  respective  editors  ;  the  one  to  ac- 
cord w^ith  the  Yulgate,  the  other  with  the  Greek 
Text.  A  new  translation  of  the  whole  Bible  in 
Arabic  was  undertaken  about  thirty  years  ago,  by 
Sabat,  then  an  apparently  sincere  and  zealous  con- 
vert from  the  Mohammedan  religion  ;  and  his  ver- 
sion of  the  New  Testament  was  published  at  Cal- 
cutta in  1816,  at  the  expense  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society. 
From  this  sketch,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  ancient 

*  A  splendid  reprint  of  the  Arabic  Bible  of  the  London  Polyglott 
was  executed  at  Newcastle,  1811,  under  the  superintendence  of  llie 
late  Professor  of  Arabic,  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Cariyle,  B,  D. 

15* 


170  APPENDIX. 

Arabic  Versions  are  not  to  be  considered  as  inde- 
pendent witnesses  ;  and  it  will  suffice  to  examine  at 
length  the  Arabic  of  Walton's  Polyglott,  which  is 
most  accessible. 

The  Arabic  of  the  Polyglott  employs  two  differ- 
ent words  to  designate  Christian  baptism,  jj^ 
{amada)  and  '^.  {tsahagha ;)  the  former  of 
these  verbs  occurs,  as  the  translation  of  ^annZoo, 
forty-seven  times;  the  latter,  thirty-one.  The 
meaning  of  the  first  may  be  fairly  considered  to  be 
determined  from  its  use  in  the  Syriac,  on  account 
of  the  priority  of  the  Syriac  translation.      The 

tisual  meaning  ol  J^  is,  undoubtedly,  "  to  make 
to  stand,  support,  establish,  purpose,"  &;c. ;  and  it 
is  possible  that  it  may  be  used  in  one  of  these  senses 
in  the  New  Testament :  but  in  a  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  passages  in  which  it  might  be  expected 
to  occur,  I  have  not  been  able  to  find  it.    The  noun 

%f^  {mnudon)  occurs,  in  the  sense  of  *  pillar,'  in 
the  passages  in  which  the  corresponding  Syriac 
word  is  found.  It  has  already  been  noticed,  that 
Freytag  refers  the  meaning  '  baptize'  to  the  Syriac, 
as  its  source.  The  meaning  of  the  other  word, 
^,  which  is  not  noticed  at  all  hy  Dr.  Hender- 

son^  is  thus  given  by  Golius  :  "  I.  Tinxit.  pannmn. 
Imbuit.  Immersit  manum  in  aqua,  Baptizavit. 
Indicium  fecit  oculi  nutu.  VII.  et  Vltl.  Pass  t^? 
Conj.  I."  ;  and  by  Freytag,  "  Tinxit  pannum  ;  im- 


APPENDIX.  171 

mersit  manum  in  aqua^  &c."*  It  is  the  same  root 
as  the  Syriac  word,  which  is  considered  by  Dr. 
Henderson  decisive  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  Syriac, 
and  which  he  says  signifies  "  to  sink,  dip,  or  put 
into  water  for  the  purpose  of  wetting."  There 
seems,  therefore,  to  be  no  room  for  controversy,  as 
to  its  signification.  But  not  only  do  we  thus  find 
a  word  the  acknowledged  meaning  of  which  is 
'  im^merse^  used  frequently  in  the  Arabic  to  desig- 
nate the  ordinance  of  baptism,  but  it  is  so  used  as 
to  show  in  what  sense  the  other  word  employed 
j^  was  understood  by  the  translator.  The  two 
words  occur,  in  many  instances  interchangeably. 
The  effect  of  this  interchange  will  perhaps  be  best 
seen  by  giving  two  or  three  of  the  passages  in  English, 
retaining  the  word  baptize  as  the  representative  of 
J^  and  rendering  "^  by  immerse.     Thus  Acts 

viii.  12  &  13  ;  "  When  they  believed  Philip  preach- 
ing the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  immersed 
both  men  and  women.  Then  Simon  himself  be- 
lieved also;  and  when  he  was  baptized,  &c." 
Acts  viii.  36  <fc  38  :  "  The  eunuch  said,  See  here  is 
water  ;  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  iminersed  7 — 
And  they  went  down  both  into  the  water,  both 
Philip  and  the  eunuch;  and  he  baptized  him." 
Acts  xix.  3,  4,  5  ;  "  He  said,  With  what  baptism 

*  The  quotation  is  from  his  smaller  Lexicon  ;  the  other  meanings 
which  he  gives  have  no  relation  to  the  subject,  and  it  is  therefore 
needless  to  insert  them. 


172 


i  P  P  E  N  D  I  X. 


were  ye  immersed  7  And  they  said,  With  John's 
baptism.  Then  said  Paul,  John  verily  baptized 
tlie  people  with  the  baptisin  of  repentance,  saying 
unto  them  that  they  should  believe  on  Him  who 
should  come  after  him,  that  is  on  Christ  Jesus. 
When  they  heard  this,  they  were  immersed  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  Compare  also  Mark  i. 
8  and  9  ;*  Acts  x.  47  &  48 ;  1  Cor.  i.  13  &,  14. 

This  use  of  the  word  j^  in  Arabic  confirms  what 
has  been  already  said  of  its  meaning  in  the  Syriac ; 
although,  from  the  long  interval  between  the  two 
versions,  no  argument  could  rest  solely  on  this 
later  use  of  the  word. 

Another  word,  J^  [ghasala,)  is  used  to  trans- 
late §a7T7i^co  in  two  instances,  and  its  correspond- 

s 
ing  noun,  ^yJS  twice  for  §a7iri6iiog  ;  but  it  is  not 

used  in  the  Polyglott  with  the  meaning  Dr.  Hen- 
derson gives  it ;  viz.  "  to  denote  the  performance  of 
the  act  of  Baptism,"  but  to  denote  Jewish  purifica- 
tions ;  Mark  vii.  4.  8.  Luke  xi.  38.  The  mean- 
ings which  Golius  gives  are  in  accordance  with 
this  use :  "  I.  Lavit,  abluit.  V.  Diligenter  lavit  per- 
luitque  membra.  YII.  Ablutus  fuit.  VIH.  Semet  la- 
vit et  abluit  aqua.  Sudore  maduit  ac  perfusus  fuit 
equus^f  Dr.  Henderson  partially  quotes  these  de- 
finitions :  "  Lavit,  abluit.     VH.  Ablutus  fuit.     VIH. 

*  The  Roman  edition  of  the  Arabic  Gospels,  1619,  accords  with 
the  Polyglott  in  this  instance,  and  probably  in  the  others. 

t  Golius  gives  two  or  three  other  meanings,  which  have  no  refer- 
ence to  the  matter  in  hand. 


APPENDIX.  173 

Sudor  [siidore]  perfusus  fuit."  It  is  difficult  to  dis- 
cover for  what  purpose  this  last  meaning,  Conj. 
VIIL.  is  given,  except  it  be  to  indicate  by  the  word 
perfusus  that  there  may  be  something  Hke  sprink- 
ling intended :  but  the  Lexicons  only  refer  this 
meaning  to  a  horse  bathed  in  sweat ;  and  give  as 
the  general  signification  of  Conj.  Till.  "  Semet  la- 
vit  et  abluit  aqua,"  which  Dr.  Henderson  omits. 

As  regards  modern  versions,  there  is  the  same 
diversity  as  in  the  ancient.     In  Sabat's  Version, 

V^j;  (tsabagha,)  the  word  not  noticed  by  Dr.  Hen- 
derson, (nor  indeed  referred  to  by  Greenfield,)  the 
meaning  of  which  has  been  already  shown  to  be 
immerse,  is  used  quite  as  frequently  as  it  is  in  the 
Polyglott.— See,  e.  g.,  Matt.  iii.  13;  14,  16.  Mark 
vi.  14,  <fec.  The  Version  of  the  Propaganda,  like- 
wise, which  has  been  reprinted,  and  is  now  circu- 
lated by  the  Bible  Society  in  England,  uses  the 

word  ^^  in  almost  every  instance  where  it  is  em- 
ployed in  the  Polyglott.  In  neither  of  these  ver- 
sions does  the  verb  jjl^  occur,  to  denote  the  act  of 
Christian  baptism.  It  is  used  in  the  same  instances 
as  in  the  Polyglott ;  and  the  noun  occurs  in  one 
additional  passage,  Heb.  ix.  10,  as  the  translation 
of  ^anziciiog. 

PERSIC. 

Of  the  age  of  the  Persic  Versions  of  the  Gospels 
for  there  is  no  ancient  version  extant  of  the  other 
parts  of  the  New  Testament)  little  is  known.    The 


174  APPENDIX, 

Version  of  the  Polyglott,  which  is  considered  to  be 
the  most  ancient,  is  taken  from  the  Syriac ;  and, 
according  to  Hug,  bears  evident  traces  of  the  in- 
fluence of  Mohammedanism.  It  cannot  therefore 
be  referred  to  an  earUer  period  than  the  8th  cen- 
tury. Several  words  are  employed  in  the  Polyglott 
Version  to  translate  ^antl'Cco.  The  most  frequent  is 
(jJuw,w  {shustan.)  the  meaning  of  which,  accord- 
ing to  Gohus*  and  Richardson,  is,  to  wash : 
j^  Juua-w  {shuyidan,)  a  verb  of  the  same  significa- 
tion, is  used  not  unfrequently.  Some  form  of  the 
Syriac  word     ^/■.v  is    occasionally  employed,  or 

rather  left  untranslated ;  one  of  the  two  preceding 
words  being  generally  appended  by  way  of  expla- 
nation, as  Matt.  xxi.  25.  John  i.  33.,  &c.  In  Matt, 
xxviii.  19.  Lw  o  {tarsa,)  a  Christian^  is  giveji  as 

the  explanation  of  g^^L*^  {amadeh  ;)  and  in  Mark 
xvi.  16.  the  same  word  is  employed  to  designate 
one  baptized.  The  meaning  of  the  two  words 
^^JCww^  and  jjJuo*duu  is  clear,  from  the  use  of  them 
both  in  the  account  of  Jesus  washing  the  disciples' 
feet,  John  xiii.  5 — 12.  The  former  is  used  to 
translate  §a7inX(a,  Mark  vii.  4.  Luke  xi.  38.  where 
Jewish  ablutions  are  intended,  and  where  the  word 

Jj^  is  used  in  the  Arabic  as  has  been  already 
stated.     This  word  J^.^^  is  not  used  at  all  in  the 

*  Castelli  Lexicon  Hoptaglotton. 


APPENDIX.  175 

Polyglott  Persic  :  it  is  however  employed  in  the 
modern  Persian  of  Martyn. 

ETHIOPIC. 

The  Ethiopia  Version  of  the  whole  Bible  is 
generally  attributed  to  Frumentius,  who,  about  the 
year  330,  introduced  Christianity  into  Abyssinia 
and  became  Bishop  of  Axum.  In  the  New  Testa* 
ment,  the  root  m^^  :  (tainaka)  is  uniformly  em- 
ployed as  the  translation  of  §antit,(o  and  its  deriva- 
tives ;  except  in  one  instance,  Luke  xi.  38,  where 
ablution  before  dinner  is  rendered  by  the  phrase 
washing  the  hands  ;  the  word  employed  on  this 
occasion  being  the  same  as  is  used  in  the  account  of 
Jesus  washing  the  disciples'  feet,  John  xiii.  5 — 12 
and  in  other  places.  In  respect  to  this  version,  as 
well  as  the  Coptic  (which  will  next  come  under  our 
consideration,)  Dr.  Henderson  disputes  the  authority 
of  the  Lexicons.  "  The  definitions,"  he  says,  '*  pro- 
duced from  the  Lexicons  of  Ludolf  and  Woide  are 
altogether  insufficient  to  prove  that  in  the  Ethiopic 
and  Coptic  Versions  the  words  employed  for  ^aTzri^co 
signify  to  '  immerse.'  It  does  not  appear  that,  in 
application  to  Christian  baptism,  they  ever  have 
this  signification"  (p.  12.)  Now,  with  regard  to  the 
Ethiopic,  not  only  does  Ludolf  distinctly  state  that 
the  word  employed  is  equivalent  with  §a7tzii^€iv,  and 
that  its  meaning  is  to  washj  to  immerse^  but  sup- 
ports his  statements  by  a  very  important  reference 
to  the  Old  Testament,  which  completely  decides  the 


176  APPENDIX. 

question  of  the  meaning  immerse  belonging  to  the 
word,  whatever  may  be  its  meaning,  in  reference  to 
Christian  baptism.  The  passage  is  Josh.  iii.  15 : 
"  When  the  feet  of  the  priests  •fXIi^^  :  were 
dipped  in  the  brim  of  the  water."  Though  Dr. 
Henderson  professes  to  quote  Ludolf's  definition  of 
the  word,  he  omits  any  reference  to  that  form  of  the 
word  which  occurs  in  this  passage.  This  is  the 
more  surprising,  as  Greenfield  had  already  given  a 
passage  including  this  form,  and  even  the  passage 
cited,  though  without  the  verse  being  named,  from 
Ludolf's  first  edition.  The  following  is  Ludolf's 
statement  in  the  second  edition,  a  few  lines  below 
the  part  which  Dr.  H.  quotes  : — 

"•tXIl^P^:  Mark  xvi.  16.  In  genere,  tinctus, 
intinctus,  immersus  fuit,  et  sic  convenit  cum 
•1*111^0  \  uty  Dum  pedes  sacerdotum  'tfll^^ '. 
iingerentm  i7i  parte  aqucB,  Josh.  iii.  15.  (2.)  In 
specie  baptizatus  sive  immersus  fuit  in  aquam, 
Luc.  iii.  21.,  (fcc." 

Dr.  Henderson  also  omits  all  reference  to  the 
noun  ^^^^  ;  {metemake,)  which  is  used  in  John 
V.  2,  4.  and  ix.  7.  in  the  sense  of  a  pool  or  bathing- 
place.     The  meaning  is  thus  given  by  Ludolf : — 

"  ^^C\<^  \  Baptisterium  sive  stagnum  aut  pis- 
cina, uhi  homines  haptizari  vel  sese  immergere 
Solent.  Vit.  Barb. — Plur.  cp^^^^  \  Baptisteria, 
qu<R  olimforis  extra  templa  in  vestibulis  coJistituta 
erant,   quia  non-baptizatis  templa  ingredi  nan 


APPENDIX.  177 

licebat.     Forma  hcec  pluralis  siiigulariter  accipi- 
tur  pro  Piscina  Joh.  v.  2.  et  ix.  7." 

It  may  further  be  observed,  that  the  word  is  used 
Mark  vii.  4.  in  reference  to  Jewish  purifications, 
which  undoubtedly  were  abhitions. 

Surely  here  is  sufficient  to  justify  Ludolf's  defini- 
tion of  the  word,  and  to  prove  that  it  has  the  mean- 
ing immerse.     Besides  being  used  to  express  ablu- 
tion, the  verb,  as  we  have  seen,  is  employed  to  ex- 
press the  dipping  of  the  feet  of  the  priests  in  the 
Jordan,  and  the  noun  for  a  hathmg-jjlace.     The 
general  meaning  of  the  word  being  thus  shown,  it 
is  for  Dr.  H.  to  prove  that  "  it  does  not  appear  that 
in  application  to  Christian  baptism  it  ever  has  this 
signification."     To  affirm  this  without  proof  is  sim- 
ply begging  the  question,  by  precluding  the  produc- 
tion of  the  most  available  evidence.     What  other 
method  is  there  of  determining  the  signification  in 
disputed  passages,  than  by  reference  to  passages 
not  in  dispute  ?     If  the   meaning  in  the  latter  is 
'  immerse,'  some  reason  surely  must  be  given  why 
that  meaning  should   be  denied  in   the   former? 
None,  however,  is  offered  by  Dr.  Henderson  ;  nor 
is  there,  either  by  Dr.  Henderson  or  any  one  else, 
as  far  as  I  am  aware,  any  evidence  adduced  to  show 
that  in  instances  not  relating  to  Christian  baptism 
any  other  meaning  than  '  immerse'  or  '  wash'  is  at- 
tached to  the  word.     There  is,  therefore,  no  balanc- 
ing of  conflicting   evidence ;    the  whole  force  of 
what  has  been  brought  forward  is  applicable  to  the 
determination  of  the  question.     The  word  clearly 
16 


178  APPENDIX. 

had  some  meaning  before  it  was  used  as  the  desig- 
nation of  the  Christian  rite  ;  the  only  meanings,  of 
Avhich  there  is  evidence,  are,  immersion  and  ablu- 
tion :  what  further  proof  can  be  required  that  such 
is  its  meaning  in  reference  to  Christian  baptism  ? 
We  might,  then,  fairly  consider  the  matter  to  be 
determined  already.  It  will  be  satisfactory,  how- 
ever, to  add  to  what  has  been  said,  the  evidence  of 
the  Abyssinian  Ritual,  which  was  published  in 
Latin  at  Rome  in  1549,  from  a  translation  by  Peter 
Abbot  of  that  Church.  The  directions  for  baptism, 
as  far  as  they  are  applicable  to  our  present  purpose, 
are  as  follows  :  the  formula  addressed  to  those  who 
are  baptized  being  giveii  in  the  original  Ethiopic  as 
well  as  the  Latin  : — "  Sacerdos  autem  eos  suscipit 
et  ter  mergit^  dicens ;  2iXIl^^^ !  Ego  haptizo 
te^  <fcc.  ;"*  plainly  showing  that  the  term  used  to 
express  the  rite  performed  (which  is  the  same  as 
that  employed  in  the  Fjthiopic  Version)  was  esteem- 
ed to  be  (^.quivalent  with  mer^o,  'immerse.'  The 
modern  Amharic  Version,  executed  under  the  su- 
perintendence of  M.  Asselin,  French  Consul  at 
Cairo,  by  Abu-Rumi,  a  native  of  Abyssinia,  em- 
ploys the  same  term  as  the  Ethiopic.  This  version 
into  the  vernacular  language  of  Abyssinia,  as  well 
as  the  ancient  Ethiopic,  has  been  beautifully  print- 


*  Modus  Baptizandi,  &&c.  quibus  Ecclesia  Ethiopum  utitur.  Rom. 
1549.  p.  xix — Peter,  the  translator  of  this  Ritual,  is  no  doubt  the 
same  person  as  edited  the  first  printed  Ethiopic  New  Testament, 
published  at  Rome  in  1548 ;  which  is  reprinted  in  Walton's  Poly- 
glott. 


APPENDIX.  179 

ed  ill  London,  under  the  editorial  care  of  T.  P. 
Piatt,  Esq.,  at  the  expense  of  the  British  and  Fo- 
reign Bible  Society. 

EGYPTIAN. 

There  are  three  ditferent  dialects  of  the  Egyp- 
tian language,  in  all  of  which  versions  of  the  New- 
Testament  have  been  made.  They  are,  the  dialect 
of  Lower  Egypt,  called  the  Coptic  or  Memphitic  ; 
that  of  Upper  Egypt,  the  Sahidic  or  Thebaic  ;  and 
the  Basmuric,  the  seat  of  which  is  generally  placed 
in  the  Delta,  though  Hug  conjectures  that  it  is  a 
dialect  of  Middle  Egypt ;  it  differs  litde  from  the 
Sahidic.  The  first  of  these  is  most  generally 
known,  and  the  term  Coptic  has  therefore  been 
sometimes  applied  to  them  all  indiscriminately. 
The  whole  of  the  New  Testament  in  this  dialect 
was  published  at  Oxford,  with  a  translation  by 
Wilkins,  in  1716.  Of  the  other  two  dialects,  frag, 
ments  only  have  been  printed.  The  Sahidic  is 
generally  esteemed  the  most  ancient  of  the  three, 
and  is  referred  to  the  second  century ;  ttie  Coptic 
and  the  fragments  of  the  Basmuric,  are  supposed 
to  belong  to  the  third. 

The  word  generally  employed  in  the  Coptic  is 
(JOJULC.  Two  other  forms,  which  are  plainly  re- 
ferable to  the  same  root,  OJULC  and  6JULC,  are 
occasionally  used.  The  word  seems  to  be  the  same 
as  the  Arabic  ^^^  "  demersit  re?n,  submexsit  in 
aquam  re?7i,  intinxit."*     Tattamj  after  La  Croze 


180  APPENDIX. 

and  Woide,  defines  the  word  thus  :  ^xKC^  OT 
aaranovtiGiJiog^  Yulg.  praecipitatiOj  Ps.  li.  4. 
^antiGiiog,  baptismus,  Matt.  iii.  7.  xaraTiovuXsiVj 
SLibmergere,  Ps.  liv.  9.  y^aiadweiv,  descendere  in 
profundum.  Exod.  xv,  5.  y^aramvaad-ai,  devorari,  Ps. 
cvi.  27 .  ^anri^eaOai.l  submergi,Lev.  xi.  32.  ^anril^iev^ 
baptizare,  Matt.  iii.  11,  ^aralieiv,  dissolvere,  2  Pet. 
iii.  6.  Sah.§  cimi  ^.^OYni  compositum  Ivdvveiv, 
irrepere,  penetrare  in  locum,  2  Tim.  iii.  6. 
Rcg^^G   "SxntUJtlC,  nuga  scurrilia,  MS.  Borg.  cc 

"^CJOJUtC    /^'^^^^tfi'^'j    baptizare,     Joh.    i.    25. 

CTicJOJULC,  ^aTtti^ea&ai,  baptizari.  Matt.  iii.  6. 
Arab,  ^^x^." 

These  definitions  are  almost  identical  with  those 
given  by  Greenfield  from  Woide's  Lexicon  ;  which 
Dr.  Henderson  has  not  thought  it  worth  while  to 
examine  at  all,  but  has  dismissed  with  the  remark 
already  quoted,  that  the  definitions  adduced  from 
the  Lexicon  of  Woide  are  altogether  insufficient  to 
prove  that  the  word  employed  for  §a7znX(x)  signifies 

*  Freytag  Lex.  Arab. 

t  Lexicon  iEgyptiaco-Latinum  ab  Henrico  Tattam,  A.  M.  Oxon. 
1835. 

;  This  is  an  error  for  PaitTcaOai,  copied  apparently  from  Woide. 

§  There  is  an  error  here,  which  I  have  no  means  of  correcting  with 
certainty,  the  reference  being  to  the  Sahidic.  The  word  KaraXveiv 
does  not  occur  at  all  in  the  Epistles  of  Peter  ;  probably  KaraK^v^eiv, 
which  occurs  in  the  verse  quoted,  is  the  word  intended ;  but  then  the 
Latin  should  be  inundare,  not  dissolvere.  tOJt8.C  ^^  "°''  ^^^^  i" 
the  Coptic  as  the  translation  either  of  KajoKveiv  or  of  KaraKkv^tiv, 
a  word  which  occurs  only  in  this  passage. 


APPENDIX 


181 


^  to  immerse.'     Yet  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  what 
use  of  the  word  could  suffice  to  prove  this,  if  its 
use  as  the  translation  of  the  Greek  words  ^a/rrw, 
y.atcidvm,  y.aTccTtovTiXo),   y.atamm,  will  not.     What 
can  it  mean,  but  dip,  sink,  overwhelm,  swallow 
up  ?*     All  the  examples,  however,  adduced  by  the 
Lexicons  are  from  the  Old  Testament ;  let  us  see 
how  it  is  used  in  the  New,  in  passages  not  relating 
to     baptism.      It    occurs    as    the    translation    of 
^AaranovTi'lcxi  in  the  only  two  passages    in   which 
that  word  is  found.  Matt.  xiv.  30.  and  xviii.  6.    It  is 
also  used  as  the  translation  of  ^v&i!^(a  in  the  two 
instances  in  which  it  occurs,  Luke  v.  7.     1  Tim. 
vi.  9  •  and  it  is  once  used  to  translate  y.ataTzirco, 
Heb.  xi.  29. — This  last  is  a  remarkable  instance  : 
it  relates  to  the  Egyptians  being   droicned  in  the 
Red  Sea.t     The  word  is  7iever  used  as  the  transia- 

•  The  use  of  the  phrase  U)JULC  C^OTti,  ^^  ^^^  transla- 
tioaof  tvSvvo},  "to  creep  into,"  is  verj-  easily  explained,  when  we 
remember  the  composition  of  the  Greek  term — cv,  in,  within,  and 
6vv<i,  to  go  under,  sink,  dive  :  hence  hcivw,  to  enter  into.  The 
Coptic  is  a  literal  translation  of  this. 

I  In  two  other  of  the  instances  quoted,  Matt,  xviii  6.  and  1  Tim. 
vi.  9.  our  translation  has  droicn  ;  but  the  sense  does  not  necessarily 
require  a  stronger  meaning  than  sinl-;  though  drowning  is  implied 
in  the  first  case,  since  there  could  be  no  emersion.  This  use  of  the 
Coptic  word  may  suggest  an  answer  to  a  remark  of  Dr.  Henderson's 
(which,  however,  does  not  fall  within  the  design  of  the  present  pam- 
phlet,) that/?a-r£^co,  when  it  signifies  the  submersion  of  the  whole 
body,  conveys  the  idea  "  that  the  body  thus  submerged  sunk  to  rise 
no  more."  l3a::Ti^(j  when  applied  to  ships  sinking,  undoubtedly  gives 
this  idea:  so  does   COJUtC  when  applied  to  the  sinking  of  a  person 

16* 


182  APPENDIX. 

tion  of  any  term  signifying  wash,  nor  even  of 
jSaWoo  or  e^^dnrco.  Could  any  evidence  more  con- 
clusively prove  that  the  word  means  to  '  immerse,' 
'  plunge/  and  even  '  sink  ?' 

Fragments  of  the  Sahidic  Version  have  been 
published  by  several  critics.  The  largest  collection 
is  that  undertaken  by  Woide,  and  published  after 
his  deathj  at  Oxford,  in  1799.  The  only  fragments 
which  have  been  discovered  of  the  Basmiirie  Ver- 
sion were  published,  together  with  some  additional 
ones  of  the  Sahidic  and  the  corresponding  passages 
of  the  Coptic,  by  Engelbreth,  in  1811.*  As  the 
two  versions  are  nearly  identical,  they  may  be 
treated  of  together.  In  the  Sahidic  fragments  edit- 
ed by  Woide,  there  are  about  thirty  passages  con- 
taining the  verb  panTi^co.  In  the  fragments  edited 
by  Engelbreth,  the  only  instances  in  which  baptism 
is  mentioned,  are  1  Cor.  xv.  29.  where  the  verb 
twice  occurs ;  and  Heb.  vi.  2.  (not  in  the  Sahidic,) 
ix.  10  ;  in  both  of  which  the  noun  pamiciiog  is  found 
in  the  Greek.  The  words  employed  in  all  these 
passages,  in  both  dialects,  are  from  the  Greek ;  the 


in  the  sea  with  a  millstone  about  his  neck ;  or  to  Pharaoh  and  his 
host  being  submerged  in  the  Red  Sea  ;  but  neither  of  the  words  mean 
more  than  sink;  the  rising  again  not  being  part  of  the  idea,  in  either 
case.  Whether  it  is  drowning,  or  dipping  merely,  must  depend 
oa  the  context. 

*  Fragmenta  Basmurico-Ccptica  Veteris  et  Novi  Testamenti,  quae 
in  Musaeo  Borgiano  Velitris  asservantur,  cum  reliquis  versionibus 
^gyptiis  contulit,  latine  vertit,  necnon  criticis  et  philologicis  adnota- 
tionibus  illustravit  W.  F.  Engelbreth.     Haunia,  1811. 


APPENDIX.  183 

verb  being  £,<OTf  ^e,  and  the  noun  £.^.U'f  CJULL. 

It  will  not  appear  surprising  that  the  Greek  words 
are  used  in  these  versions,  when  we  remember  that 
the  Greek  influence  in  Egypt,  under  the  rule  of  the 
Ptolemies,   had    introduced    multitudes  of  Greek 
words  into  the  language  ;  so  that  in  the  Coptic 
Version  one  cannot  open  a  page  without  meeting 
with  several.     In  five  pages  of  Wilkins's  edition, 
taken  at  random,  in  the  Gospels,  Acts,  and  Epistles, 
containing  altogether  fifty-nine  verses,  I  have  count- 
ed forty-eight  Greek  words,  thirty-three  of  them 
difierent  (exclusive  of  particles,   such  as  JUtett, 
V^p,  SJ^^^f  <fcc.,  which  are  found  continually  ;) 
thus  giving,  on  an  average,  four  Greek  words  to 
every  five  verses.     These  words  do  not  seem  to 
have  been  retained,  as  was  done  in  the  Latin,  from 
any  supposed  sacredness  in  the  terms,  but  merely 
because  they  expressed  to  the  Egyptian  reader  the 
idea  to  be  conveyed.     The  following  is  the  list  of 
words  in  the  last  page  of  the  five  which  were  exa- 
mined:   1    Thess.   V.    1 — 13:    ver.    1.   *)rportOC 

Kepoc,  5CP?^  ^'  2-  ^.^<pIfi.a)c.  v.  3.  aipKrtK. 
ej:A.rart^.  v.  8.  a.va.iih,  nepiKe$d.Xe4., 
&eXinc.  V.  13.  ^.T^.^H>  g^xpwiH,    in  the  Sa- 

hidic  dialect  Greek  words  are  far  more  numerous 
than  they  are  in  the  Coptic.  In  twenty-five  verses 
which  I  have  examined  in  Woide's  Sahidic  frag- 
ments (Acts  viii.  1 — 25)  there  are  thirty-eight  Greek 
words  (exclusive  of  particles,)  twenty-five  of  them 


184  APPENDIX. 

different ;  giving,  on  an  average,  three  Greek  words 
to  every  two  verses. 

ARMENIAN. 

The  Armenian  Version  of  the  whole  Bible  was 
made  about  the  beginning  or  middle  of  the  fifth 
century,  by  Miesrob,  the  inventor  of  the  Armenian 
Alphabet,  assisted  by  other  learned  men  ;  and 
amongst  them,  Moses  Chorenensis,  who  wrote  a 
History  of  Armenia  which  has  come  down  to  us, 
in  which  he  gives  an  account  of  the  translation. 

The  word  which  it  employs  for  the  translation 
of  ^a7zri^(o  is  J^pmB-jf^  (mogredil ;)  except  in  one  in- 
stance, 1  Cor.  i.  16.  where  the  phrase  dal  gnikj 
'  to  give  a  seal,'  occurs.  The  meaning  of  the  word 
is  thus  given  in  the  Armenian  Lexicon  of  Brand 
and  Aucher,  the  most  recent  Lexicon  that  has  been 
published :  "  mogredil ;  v.  a,  to  baptize,  to  wash 
by  plunging  into  water."  No  examples  are  given 
to  this  or  any  other  word  throughout  the  Dictionary. 
In  a  language  so  little  known  to  English  scholars, 
it  might  be  deemed  sufficient  to  rest  on  the  authority 
of  the  learned  Father  Paschal  Aucher,  of  the  Ar- 
menian Academy  of  St.  Lazarus  at  Yenice,  who  is 
acquainted  with  the  English  language  ;  but  it  will 
be  more  satisfactory  to  find  other  instances  of  the 
use  of  the  word. 

The  word  is  used  in  the  New  Testament  to 
translate  ^a/rz/foj,  where  the  reference  is  to  Jewish 
ablutions,  Mark  vii.  4.    Luke  xi.  38.    It  is  also 


APPENDIX,  185 

used  ill  the  Old  Testament  (where  ^anrit,^  is  used 
in  the  Lxx.)  2  Kings  v.  14 :  Naaman  "  dipped 
himself  in  the  Jordan  seven  limes  ;"  and  in  the 
Apocrypha,  Judith  xii.  7.*  and  Ecclus.  xxxiv.  30. 
in  both  of  which  passages  ^a7iriX(o  occurs.  Thus 
we  see  that  it  is  a  word  applicable  to  all  the  mean- 
ings of^aTTTiXco  ;  and  undoubtedly  signifies,  in  one 
instance,  c^ip  ;  inothers,  at  least,  bathe,  ox  perform 
ablution. 

The  modern  Armenian  Version  employs  the  same 
term :  and  it  is  still  the  current  word  in  the  lan- 
guage to  designate  baptism. 

SLAVONIC. 

The  Slavonic  Version  of  the  New  Testament, 
and  of  parts  at  least  of  the  Old,  was  made  by  Cyril, 
the  inventor  of  the  Slavonic  Alphabet,  and  Metho- 
dius, his  brother,  who,  about  the  middle  of  the  ninth 
century,  introduced  Christianity  amongst  several 
of  the  Slavic  tribes.  It  is  not  certain  for  what  par- 
ticular district  the  translation  was  made ;  but  the 
language  "  has  long  since  become  the  common  pro- 
perty of  all  the  Slavic  nations."! 

The  term  by  which  it  uniformly  renders  ^«;rrtfca, 
when  that  word  is  applied  to  the  Christian  rite,  is 
krestiti ;  the  meaning  of  which  is  "  to  crossj^  a 

*  It  is  used  also  in  the  following  verse,  where  the  Greek  has 
avefSri. 

\  See  an  elaborate  article  on  the  Slavic  Languages  and  Literature, 
by  Dr.  E.  Robinson,  in  the  Biblical  Repository,  Vol.  IV.  Nos.  14 
&nd  15. 


186  APPENDIX. 

term  which  has  manifestly  been  derived  from  the 
use  of  the  sign  of  the  cross  in  baptism.  The  word 
is  thus,  in  strictness,  inapphcable  to  any  other  than 
the  technical  meaning  of  ^ami^m  :  yet  it  is  curious 
to  notice,  both  as  showing  how  little  dependence 
can  be  placed  on  etymology  alone  in  deciding  the 
actual  meaning  of  a  word,  and  as  indicating  the 
manner  in  which  they  practised  baptism,  that  so 
completely  had  the  word,  at  the  time  when  the 
translation  was  made,  lost  its  etymological  meaning 
when  applied  to  baptism,  and  obtained  the  signifi- 
cation of  ablution,  as  to  be  employed  for  Jewish 
purifications.  Thus  in  Luke  xi.  38.  we  meet  with 
the  following  translation  :  "  The  Pharisee  wonder- 
ed that  he  had  not,  krestisia,  crossed  himself  before 
dinner  ;"  where  the  margin  reads,  y?nusia,  washed  : 
and  in  like  manner  the  noun,  krestshenia^  is  used 
Mark  vii.  8.  "  the  crossing  of  pots  and  cups  ;" — 
omovenia  is  found  in  the  margin,  the  same  word  as 
is  used  to  translate  ^anzianog^  Heb.  ix.   10. 

Many  modern  versions  in  languages  belonging 
to  the  Slavic  family  adopt  the  same  term  as  the 
Slavonic  employs.  Amongst  these,  are  the  Russian, 
Polish,  Bohemian,  Lithuanian,  and  Lettish  or  Li- 
vonian. 

GOTHIC. 

The  whole  of  the  Scriptures  was  translated  into 
that  dialect  of  the  Gothic  which  was  spoken  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Moesia,  by  Ulphilas,  Bishop  of  the 
Moesians,  in  the  fourth  century.     The  greater  part 


APPENDIX.  187 

of  this  version  has  been  lost ;  and  the  only  remain- 
ing portion  of  any  considerable  extent  is  preserved 
in  the  Cordex  Argenteus,  now  deposited  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Upsal.     From  this  manuscript  the  Gos- 
pels (as  far  as  they  are  extant)  have  been  several 
times  printed.     The  edition  most  accessible  in  this 
country  is  that   published  at  Oxford,  in  1750,  by 
Lye,  with  a  Latin  translation  and  notes  by  Benzel. 
The  word  usually  employed  in  this  version   to 
translate  ^aTtu^co  is     AAtllig)VN'     (dcmpjayi,) 
which,  it  is  on  all  hands  agreed,  signifies  iminerse. 
If  proof  were  wanting,  the  meaning  would  seem  to 
be  determined  by  the  preposition  with  which  the 
word  is  used,  where  a  preposition  is  employed  ;  e.  g. 
Mark  i.   8.    iK    A>\tinQA      l2;VlS      IN 
y^TIN,    '  I  baptize  you  in  water.'    Dr.  Hender- 
son admits  that  the  word  means  to  immerse^  but 
seems  to  concede  this  meaning  somewhat  unwill- 
ingly.      '•'  That  the   Gothic   daiipjan^'^   he   says, 
'•  may  signify  to  immerse,  is  not  denied ;  though 
this  action  is  more  properly  expressed  in  that  lan- 
guage by  ufdauj)jan^^     It  will  be  immediately  seen 
that  this  latter  word  is  a  compound  of  the  former, 
with  the  preposition  X\\z  w/,  which  signifies  under  y 
and  it  seems  quite  clear,  that  if  iifdaupjan  means 
to  dip  under,  daupjan  must  mean  to  dip  ;  it  is  just 
the    difference    between    mergo    and    suhmergo. 
There  need,  however,  be  no  hesitation  as  to  the 
meaning  Ulphilas  attached  to  dmipjan,  or  at  least 
none    as    to   the   mode   in   which   he   translated 


188  APPENDIX. 

^aTtnico  ;  for  in  two  instances  he  employs  the  very 
word  by  which  immersion  is,  according  to 
Dr.      Henderson,     "more    properly    expressed," 

TII^cLIIIIQA^/  ^^    ^^®    translation   of  §a7tTiX<a 

Luke  iii.  21    iyVlSn  Ill:aAlimAAMMA, 

'•  Jesus       being       immersed ;"      and     vii.     29 ; 

n^aAnnidAi  aAnneiNjU 

TLjjllANNtS,  "  being  immersec?  with  tlie  baptism 
of  John."  In  this  last  instance  it  will  be  seen  that 
both  words  occur  together ;  and  no  doubt  can  re- 
main that  Ulphilas  understood  by  John's  baptism, 
immersion. 

We  need  not  then  inquire  further  respecting  the 
Gothic  Version  ;  but  it  is  of  great  importance  to 
ascertain  the  connexion  of  this  word  with  the  terms 
of  similar  application  in  other  Teutonic  dialects* 
On  this  subject,  Dr.  Henderson  says  :  "  As  it  re- 
gards the  Gothic  dialects,  which  have  repeatedly 
been  appealed  to  with  great  confidence  on  this  sub- 
ject, it  is  a  settled  point,  with  all  those  who  are  ac- 
quainted with  them,  that  the  reference  is  totally 
irrelevant.  That  the  Moeso-Gothic  datipicm,  the 
Anglo-Saxon  dyppen^  the  Dutch  doopen,  the  Swe- 
dish dopa^  the  Danish  dohe^  and  the  German  tavfen^ 
all  correspond  in  sound  to  our  English  word  dip^ 
does  not  admit  of  dispute,  any  more  than  the  fact, 
that  dah^  danb,  and  diib  have  the  same  correspond- 
ence ;  but  nothing  would  be  more  erroneous  than 
to  conclude,  that,  with  the  exception  of  the  Anglo- 


APPENDIX.  1 89 

Saxon,  they  must  have  the  same  signification.*'  In 
these  remarks,  Dr.  Henderson  (p.  12.)  seems  to  con> 
found  two  very  distinct  questions — the  etymology 
of  the  words,  and  their  signification.  Their  cor- 
respondence in  sound  will  certainly  prove  nothing 
of  itself,  as  to  sameness  'of  meaning ;  nor  am  I 
aware  that,  with  regard  to  these  particular  words, 
such  an  assertion  has  ever  been  made ;  but  this 
correspondence  afi'ords  evidence  of  etymological 
identity,  whatever  diversity  of  meaning  the  words 
may  at  present  have.  Now,  that  all  these  words 
are  etymologically  connected,  and  are,  in  fact,  but 
varied  forms  of  the  same  original  word,  admits  of 
as  litde  dispute  as  their  correspondence  in  sound  ; 
and  it  cannot  be  necessary  to  inform  Dr.  Henderson 
that  this  is  '•  a  settled  point  with  all  who  are  ac- 
quainted with  these  dialects."  Every  philologist 
knows  that  the  root  daiipjan  (taking  the  Gothic  as 
the  most  ancient  form)  is  to  be  traced  in  almost  all 
the  Teutonic  dialects.  It  would  be  tedious  to  pro- 
duce numerous  authorities  in  proof  of  this  assertion. 
It  will  be  sufficient  to  quote  the  etymological  dic- 
tionary of  Meidinger :  and  the  reader  who  wishes 
for  farther  confirmation  of  the  fact  may  consult  the 
works  mentioned  in  the  note,  vv^icre  he  will  find 
similar  lists,  more  or  less  extensive  : — 

"Dippen,  eintauchen,  enf oncer ^  jtlonger.  Ang. 
S.  dippan,  dyppan,  j)longer^  haptiser  :  dyfan,  du- 
fian,  gedufian,  plonger.  Eng.  to  dip,  to  dive, 
plonger.  HoU.  doopen.  Swed.  doepa.  Dan. 
dyppe.     It.  tuflfare. 

17 


190  APPENDIX. 

"  Taufen,  haptiser.  Ang.  S.  dyppan,  dippan, 
depan,  dyfan.  Swed.  doepa.  Dan.  doebe.  Holl. 
doopen.  Alt.  D.  doufan.  Alt.  G.  daupian,  pZo??^- 
er,  se  laver. 

"  Taufe,  hapteme.  Alt.  D.  taufi,  toufe,  toufa, 
daufi,  doufa,  touft.  Alt.  G.  daupein(s.)  Holl.  doop, 
doopingj  doopsel.  Swed.  dop,  doepelse.  Dan.  daab. 
It.  tuffo,  V action  de  plonger.^^* 

It  cannot  then  for  a  moment  be  supposed,  that 
when  Dr.  Henderson  asserted  that  it  was  a  settled 
point  that  the  reference  to  the  Teutonic  dialects 
was  altogether  irrelevant,  he  meant  to  deny  the  ety- 
mological identity  of  the  words  ;  though  his  re- 
mark, '  that  they  correspond  in  sound,*  naturally 
suggests  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  the  idea  that 
their  etymology  was  the  point  he  had  in  view.  It 
must  surely  have  been,  rather,  that  he  might  not 
puzzle  the  unlearned  reader  with  questions  of  phi- 
lology, that  he  dismissed  the  comparison  of  them 
with  the  remark  that  dah^  dub,  and  daub  have  the 

*  Meidinger  Dictionnaire  Etymologique  et  compai-atif  des  Langues 
Teutogothiques.  Frankfort,  1833,  p.  400.  It  will  be  seen,  that 
the  first  list  of  verbs  contains  those  whose  ordinary  signification  is 
dip ;  whilst  the  second  gives  such  as  are  more  immediately  connect- 
ed with  taufen  in  the  sense  baptize.  A  comparison  of  the  two  lists, 
however,  will  show  that  the  same  words  of  the  Anglo-Saxon,  Dutch, 
and  Swedish,  are  included  in  both.  It  therefr re  seemed  proper  to 
insert  the  whole ;  though  the  second  sufficiently  establishes  the  ety- 
mological connexion  of  all  the  words  mentioned  by  Dr.  Henderson 
as  the  translation  of  (iaitri^w.  See  also  Junius  Gothicum  Glossa- 
rium  and  his  Etymologicum  Anglicanum,  Spellman,  Wachter  Glos- 
sarium  Germanicum,  Ihre  Glossarium  Suio-Gothicum  (quoted  below,) 
and  Adelung's  Worterbuch. 


APPENDIX.  191 

same  correspondence.  Had  he  explicitly  stated,  that, 
though  similar,  not  in  sound  merely,  but  in  etymo- 
logy, nothing  would  be  more  erroneous  than  to  con- 
clude that  therefore  they  all  must  have  the  same 
signification,  every  one  at  all  acquainted  with  the 
history  of  languages  must  immediately  have  ad- 
mitted the  truth  of  the  remark.  Their  etymology 
proves  nothing  as  to  their  signification  ;  yet  it  must 
be  allowed,  on  the  other  hand,  that  whilst  it  does 
not  by  any  means  determine  the  matter,  it  is  to  be 
regarded  as  prima-facie  evidence  of  their  meaning. 
It  will,  however,  be  needful  in  this  case  to  enter  on 
a  more  extended  examination  of  the  separate  ver- 
sions than  we  have  hitherto  bestowed  on  modern 
translations. 

GERMAN. — The  Germans  translate  ^aTZTi^ca  by 
taufen.  It  is  certain,  that  not  this  word,  but 
tauchen,  elntauchen^  are  now  in  use  to  express  dip 
or  immerse ;  and  that  taiifen  is,  in  its  ordinary 
use,  confined  to  the  ecclesiastical  meaning,  baptize. 
But  it  is  plain,  that  it  must  have  had,  if  it  does  not 
now  retain,  some  meaning  besides  the  more  restrict- 
ed one  which  it  at  present  generally  bears  ;  unless, 
indeed,  it  had  been  a  word  coined  for  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  expressing  the  Christian  rite.  Now,  we 
have  shown  that  it  is  etymologically  connected  with 
the  Gothic  daupjafi,  which  means  to  immerse  ; 
and  which  is  employed  in  the  Gothic  Version,  as 
taufen  is  in  the  German,  to  designate  Christian 
baptism.  Moreover,  the  word  is  found  in  the  Ger- 
man  language,  with  but  slight  variation  of  form,  as 


192  APPENDIX. 

early  as  the  ninth  century.  In  the  metrical  Ver- 
sion of  the  Gospels  by  Ottfried,  about  the  year  870, 
the  word  is  doufan  ;*  and  in  the  Version  of  Ta- 
tian's  Harmony,  also  in  the  German  of  the  ninth 
century,  toufan.\  In  the  fifteenth  century,  thirty- 
four  years  before  Luther's  Version  appeared,  the 
word  taufen^  precisely  in  the  same  form  in  which 
he  employed  it,  is  used  in  a  German  Version  of  the 
Gospels  and  Epistles  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Ser- 
vice.t  Thus  the  word  is  clearly  traced  from  the 
Gothic  of  the  fourth  century  to  the  time  of  Luther. 
The  question  then  seems  to  resolve  itself  into  this  ; 
Was  the  meaning  immerse^  which  belonged  to  the 
Gothic,  retained  in  the  later  German  ;  or  had  it 
wholly  lost  that  meaning  when  it  became  a  Ger- 
man word  ?  To  answer  this  question,  we  need  go 
no  further  back  than  the  age  of  Luther.  We  find 
indisputable  evidence  that  at  that  time  it  had  ano- 
ther meaning  than  the  technical  one,  and  that  that 
meaning  was  its  etymological  one,  immerse  or  dip. 
Luther  translates  the  ^^q^  {immerg6)hy  this  word, 
2  Kings  V.  14  :  "  Naaman  went  down  and  {taufte) 
dipped  himself  seven  times  in  the  Jordan."  Be- 
sides  this,  Luther,  in  his  sermon  on  the  sacrament 

*  Adelang's  Worterbuch. 

t  Das  Evangelium  des  h.  Mattheeus  im  Hochdeutsch  des  neunten 
Jahrhunderts  aus  dem  St.  Galler  Codex  der  Tatianischen  Evange- 
lienharmonie  von  J.  A.  Schmeller.     Siuitg.  1827. 

X  Ewangelia  und  epistel  mit  der  gloss  auch  anfang  der  mess,  &c. 
dtirch  Thoma  Ansshelm  von  Bade  Getruckt,  und  vollendet  zu  Strass- 
burg,  1483. 


APPENDIX 


of  Baptism,  expressly  declares,  that  though  it  is  no 
longer  the  general  practice  to  immerse  children  in 
baptism,  it  is  nevertheless  right  that  the  child,  or 
other  person  to  be  baptized,  should  according  to  the 
meaning  of  the  word  ( Taufe^)  be  sunk  and  dipped 
[taufte)  all  over  in  the  water,  and  again  raised  up.* 
In  this  passage,  Luther  not  only  asserts  that  the 
meaning  of  the  word  is  properly  c?ip,  but  himself 
uses  it  in  this  sense;  for  what  other  meaning  can 
be  affixed  to  it  here  ?  Knapp,  speaking  of  the 
meaning  of  the  word  ^anri^eiv,  says  it  "  properly 
signifies  to  dip  {like  the  German  taufen.)  to  im- 
merse, to  wash  by  immersion.''!  Augustit  says, 
''  the  German  name  Taufe  is  unquestionably  derived 
from  Tiefe  (depth  ;")  and  refers  to  Luther's  sermon, 
quoted  above.  It  will  be  immediately  seen  that  this 
derivation  is  the  same  as  that  which  we  have  esta- 
blished above :  the  noun  Tiefe^  as  well  as  our 
English  words  '  depth,'  and  '  deep,'  being  all  refera- 
ble to  the  verb  '  dip,'  daupjaii.  Augusti  adds,  '•  It 
is  altogether  an  extraordinary  thing  [Bios  eineson- 
derbarlceit  ist  es,)  that  many  would  derive  it  from 
the  Hebrew  letter  Tau,  or  from  Tav  or  Taf -\j^  sig- 
7iu7n,   and   so  compare  it   with   the   Greek  term 

*  "  So  sollt'  es  doch  so  seyn  und  ware  recht,  dass  man  nach  Laut 
des  Wortleins  (Taufe)  das  Kind,  oder  jeglichen,  der  getauft  wird, 
ganz  hinein  in's  Wasser  senkte  und  taufte,  und  wieder  herauszoge." 
— -Luther^ s  Werke  von  Walch,  T.  x.  p.  2593 ;  quoted  from  Augus- 
ti's  Arckaologie,  T.  ii.  p.  399. 

t  G.  C.  Knapp's  Vorlesungen  uber  die  christliche  Glauhcnslehre, 
T.  ii.  p.  447. 

I  Handbuch  der  christlichen  Arckaologie,  T.  ii.  p.  312. 

17* 


194  APPENDIX. 

6(pQayig.  See  He?ir.  Alsted  Lexic.  Theol.  c.  12. 
p.  315.  According  to  others,  it  must  be  derived 
from  niPln'D  cinnulus  ohsignatoriiis  :  Gerhard^  T. 
ix.  p.  69." — Lastly,  Adelung,  the  highest  philologi- 
cal authority,  thus  gives  the  meaning  of  the  word, 
and  examples  of  its  use,  in  his  Dictionary : — 
"Taufen,  verb,  regul.  act.  1.  Properly  to  dip 
[tauchen)  in  water,  where  it  has  the  same  meaning 
as  tauchen^  and  differs  from  it  only  in  the  suiRx. 
^  A  wooden  fire-ball  dipj}ed  {getaiift)  in  pitch  and 
rosin,'  Fronsh.  *  A  caldron  in  which  to  dip  {tau- 
fen) the  fire-work,'  Id.  '  Naaman  dipped  {taufte) 
himself  in  the  Jordan  seven  times,'  2  Kings  v.  14. 
where  it  is  used  for  bathe.  '  The  Strymon,  in 
which  the  host  of  cranes  dip  {tauft)  their  crumpled 
feathers ;'  Opitz.  In  German,  this  meaning  is  an- 
tiquated ;  and  it  is,  2.  only  used  in  a  special  sense,  to 
dip  {tauchen)  in  water,  in  a  religious  manner,  &c."* 
The  evidence  now  adduced,  amply  shows  that 
Dr.  Henderson's  bold  assertion  is  not  warranted  in 


*  "  Taufen,  verb.  re^l.  act.  1.  Eigentlich,  in  das  Wasser  tauchen, 
wo  es  mit  tauchen  gleich  bedeutend  und  von  demselben  nur  im  Suffixo 
verschieden  ist.  Eine  holzerne  Feuerkugel  in  Bech  und  Harz 
getauft,  Fronsb.  Kessel,  das  Feuerwerk  darein  zu  taufen,  eben 
ders.  Naeman  taufte  sich  im  Jordan  sieben  Mahl,  2  Kon.  v.  14. 
uro  es  fur  haden  stehet. 

Der  Strymon, 

In  den  der  Kranche  Heer  die  krummen  Federn  tauft.     Opitz. 


Im  Hochdeutscben  ist  es  in  dieser  Bedeutung  veraltet ;  wo  man  es, 
2.  nur  im  engern  Verstande  braucht,  auf  eine  gottesdienstliche  Art 
in  das Wa3ser  tauchen,  &c."  Adelung^s  Worterbuch,  T.  iv.  p.  924. 


APPENDIX.  1 95 

respect   to  the  meaning  of  the  German  word,  any 
more  than  it  is  in  respect  to  its  etymology. 

DUTCH. — The  word  employed  for  §u7zzi^co  in  the 
Dutch  Version  is  doopen:  the  word  generally  used 
for  dip  is  indoopen.  No  one  can  doubt  that  the 
radical  meaning  of  both  words  is  the  same,  the  dif- 
ference being  merely  the  addition  to  the  latter  of 
the  preposition  in.  This  preposition,  however,  is 
not  always  prefixed  when  the  meaning  is  to  dip  ; 
and  it  is  most  surprising  that  Dr.  Henderson  should 
venture  the  assertion,  that  'no  Diitclunan,  &c. 
would  for  a  moment  suppose  the  word  meant  any 
thing  else  than  baptism,  by  the  application  of  water 
to  the  body  of  the  person  baptized ;'  when,  if  we 
turn  to  Luke  xvi.  24.  we  find  that  Lazarus'  dipping 
his  finger  in  water  is  expressed  by  this  very  word, 
''  That  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water 
{in  het  water  doopen)  If  it  be  said,  the  preposi- 
tion being  expressed  before  the  noun,  there  was  no 
need  to  repeat  it  with  the  verb,  but  that  neverthe- 
less it  is  to  be  understood  with  it.  reference  may  be 
made  to  other  passages  in  which  the  compound  verb 
is  used  notwithstanding  the  preposition  in  before 
the  noun  ;  e.  g.  Matt.  xxvi.  23  :  "  He  that  dippeth 
his  hand  in  the  dish  with  me  [in  de  schotel  in- 
doopt :")  and  the  argument  would  prove  too  much, 
since  it  would  include  such  a  passage  as  the  follow- 
ing. Matt.  iii.  6 :  "  And  were  baptized  by  him  in  the 
Jordan  (gedoopt  in  de  Jordaen.") 

In  addition  to  this,  the  following  examples  of  the 
use  of  the  word  doopen  for  dip  may  be  quoted  from 


196  A  P  P  E  N  D  I  X  i 

Sewel's  Dutch  and  English  Dictionary  enlarged  by 
Buys,  Amst.  1766  :  "  Brood  in  wi/?i  doojjen,  to  dip 
bread  into  wine.  ^i/?i  brood  in  de  saus  doopen^ 
to  dip  one's  bread  into  the  sauce."  The  meanings 
which  he  gives  to  the  word  are,  "  To  dip,  plunge^ 
baptize,  christen.^' 

In  the  Old  Testament,  neither  doopen  nor  indoo- 
jten  is  used  for  dip,  but  the  form  is  varied  to  dop- 
pen  and  indoppen.  The  latter  word,  however,  is 
used,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain,  in  only 
three  instances  ;  viz.  Lev.  iv.  17.  xiv.  16.  Josh. 
iii.  15  :  whilst  the  simple  word  doppen,  without  the 
preposition,  is  used  in  four  times  as  many ;  e.  g. 
Lev.  iv.  6.  xiv.  6,  51.  2  Kings  v.  14.  <fec.  It  is 
thus  clearly  shown  that  the  radical  meaning  of  the 
word  doopen  or  doppen  is  not  to  apply  water  in 
any  way,  and  the  preposition  in  therefore  necessary 
to  restrict  the  signification  to  dipping ;  but  the 
primary  meaning  is  dip,  and  the  preposition  is 
merely  intensive 

SWEDISH  and  banish. — After  this  extended  exa- 
mination of  the  German  and  Dutch,  it  will  not  be 
necessary  to  detain  the  reader  by  a  lengthened  ac- 
count of  the  other  Teutonic  dialects.  The  words 
used  in  the  Swedish  and  Danish  are  almost  identi- 
cal ;  the  former  being  dopa,  the  latter  dobe.  Of 
the  Swedish,  Ihre  gives  the  following  account : 
"Dopa,  mergere,  Ulph.  daupjan.  A.  S.  dujian, 
depan,  dyppan,  dopettan.  Al.  toufen.  Belg.  dip- 
pen^  doppen.  Est  vere  propria  vocis  dopa  signifi- 
catio,  uti  dixi.  aquis  submergere.    Inde  Uplandi? 


APPENDIX.  197 

ubi  puteis  parum  aquae  inest,  dicunt,  '  Ther  war  ej 
sa  mycket  wattn  at  man  kunde  dopa  sembaret.' 
(There  was  not  so  much  water  that  one  could  dip 
a  bucket.)  II.  Aquae  lustraU  immergere,  baptizare. 
Veteres  tamen  hujus  loco  saepe  christna  aut  skira 
usurparunt ;  unde  skim  baptismus,  shirdiir  bapti- 
zatuSj  skirnarhriin  baptisteidum,  fons  sacer.  .  . 
.  .  .  Doppa :  frequentivum  ejusdem  radicis.  A. 
S.  dyppan.  Germ,  doppen^  duppen.  Ital.  tuff  are. 
Aug\.  dipp.     Gr.  Smteivy* 

The  word  skira,  noticed  bylhrein  the  preceding 
quotation,  is  that  which  Dr.  Henderson  mentions  as 
employed  in  the  Icelandic  Version  ;  and  is  synony- 
mous with  the  fidlia?i  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Yersion, 
which  will  next  come  under  our  notice.  It  will  be 
seen  that  Ihre  distinctly  refers  doppa,  the  ordinary 
Swedish  word  for  dip,  to  the  same  root  as  dojia 
(baptize,)  and  calls  it  a  frequentative ;  whilst  he 
not  only  gives  the  meaning  immerse  to  do  pa,  but 
cites  an  example  of  its  use  in  this  sense.  A  refer- 
ence to  the  quotation  from  Meidinger  already  given 
will  show  that  he  also  affirms  the  same  thing,  by 
mentioning  this  form  of  the  word  in  both  his  lists. 
I  have  not  ascertained  how  far  the  meaning  dip  be- 
longed to  the  Danish  word  dohe ;  the  ordinary 
term  in  that  language  to  express  this  idea  being 
dyppe.  The  close  approximation  of  the  Danish 
word  to  that  employed  by  the  Swedes  sufficiently 
shows  that  its  radical  meaning  is  the  same  ;  and  it 

*  Ihre  Glossarium  Suio  Gothicum.     Ups.  1769. 


198  APPENDIX. 

seemed  unnecessary  to  trouble  the  reader  with  any 
further  investigation. 

One  general  observation  with  regard  to  all  these 
versions  must  be  made.  Dr.  Henderson  lays  great 
stress  on  the  fact,  that  the  prepositions  employed 
with  all  these  words  correspond  with  the  English 
with,  not  ill ;  as  the  German  mit  wasser  taufen, 
&c. :  and  he  hence  concludes  that  "  neither  Luther, 
nor  the  authors  of  the  Dutch,  Danish,  and  Swedish 
Versions,  had  any  intention  of  conveying  the  idea 
of  immersion  as  implied  in  ^anti^ca.^^  It  might  be 
deemed  a  sufficient  answer,  to  adduce  instances  of 
these  same  versions  using  the  verb  in  connexion 
with  the  preposition  m,  as  Matt.  iii.  6.  Germ. 
Und  liessen  sich  taufen  von  ihm  im  Jordan.  Dutch, 
Ende  wierden  van  hem  gedoopt  in  de  Jordaen.  So 
also  Mark  i.  9.  The  people  could  scarcely  be  ge- 
tauft  or  gedoopt  in  the  Jordan  without  immersion  : 
and  if  the  authors  did  not  intend  immersion,  why 
did  they  not  say  zum  Jordan,  or  tot  de  Jordaen,  at 
the  Jordan,  instead  of  ^^^  it?  Still,  this  does  not 
explain  the  use  of  the  preposition  mit  or  m^et,  where 
it  is  employed.  The  passage  already  quoted  from 
Luther  seems  directly  applicable  to  the  point.  The 
general  practice  at  the  time  when  these  versions 
were  made  was  not  immersion,  but  the  application 
of  water  to  the  body  of  the  person.  In  accordance 
with  this  practice  the  translators  join  the  verb  with 
a  preposition  not  applicable  to  immersion;  still, 
however,  in  the  case  of  Luther  protesting  that  tau- 
fen is  properly  to  dip,  and  in  the  other  cases  not  in 


APPENDIX.  199 

the  least  interfering  with  the  original  meaning  of 
the  word.  All  that  can  be  said,  is,  that  the  word 
being  retained,  though  the  form  of  administering 
the  ordinance  was  changed,  was  in  some  measure 
accommodated  to  this  change  by  means  of  the  pre- 
position with  which  it  was  connected. 

In  concluding  these  remarks  on  the  Gothic  dia- 
lects, the  author  begs  to  observe,  that  he  has  not  the 
presumption  to  place  his  knowledge  of  them  on  an 
equality  with  that  of  Dr.  Henderson  ;  who  informs 
us,  in  a  note,  that  what  he  has  stated  is  "  founded 
on  a  familiar  acquaintance  with  these  languages, 
which  he  has  been  in  the  habit  of  speaking  or  read- 
ing for  upwards  of  thirty  years."     But  surely  Dr. 
Henderson's  authority,  high  as  it  may  be  in  these 
matters,  is  not  to  be  placed  above  that  of  the  most 
eminent  German  scholars  and  philologists,  in  respect 
to  their  own  language,  and  the  others  closely  con- 
nected with  it.     Their  testimony  has  been  cited ; 
and,  did   it  not   seem  unnecessary  to  accumulate 
evidence,  much  more  might  have  been  adduced  to 
the  same  effect.     Examples,  moreover,  as  far  as  my 
acquaintance   with   the   languages   would  permit, 
have  been  produced,  of  the  actual  use  of  the  words 
in  the  sense  which  Dr.  Henderson  disputes ;  and 
these  plainly  cannot  be  overset  by  the  negative  evi- 
dence even  of  thirty  years'  acquaintance  with  the 
languages.     The  fact  seems  to  be,  that  Dr.  Hender- 
son has  treated  the  question  as  though  it  were  as- 
serted that  the  words  for  baptize  were  used  in  the 
language  of  ordinary  life  for  immerse  or   dip ; 


200  APPENDIX. 

whereas  it  is  acknowledged  by  all  who  have  any 
acquaintance  with  the  subject,  that  this  is  not  the 
case :  and  he  has  overlooked  the  gist  of  the  argu- 
ment, which  is,  that  the  words  not  only  are  etymo- 
logically  connected  with  dip^  but  in  the  languages 
themselves  were  originally  used  with  this  mean- 
ing,— a  meaning  which  they  still  retain,  though 
this  use  of  them  has  become  antiquated,  in  con- 
sequence of  their  special  application  to  a  religious 
ordinance,  and  their  being  thereby  taken  from  the 
language  of  familiar  intercourse.  That  this  is  the 
case,  especially  with  regard  to  the  German  and 
Dutch,  the  author  cannot  but  think  has  been 
abundantly  proved  by  the  evidence  adduced. 

ANGLO-SAXON. 

The  Anglo-Saxon  Version  of  the  New  Testament 
is  to  be  referred  to  about  the  eighth  century.  It  is 
not  of  much  authority  in  general  criticism,  having 
been  made  from  the  Latin.  The  Gospels  only  have 
been  printed.  The  edition  which  I  have  examined 
is  that  of  Marshal] ;  printed,  together  with  the  Go- 
thic Gospels  by  Junius,  Dord.  1665,  and  Amst. 
1684.  The  verb  usually  employed  to  translate 
(iaTiti^o)  is  -ptjlhan  or  pulh^an,  answering  to  our 
English  word  "  full,"  in  the  sense  of  '  cleanse ; 
pullttKr  is  used  for  "  baptism,"  except  in  one  in- 
stance, Luke  iii.  12,  where  a}?pe3 en e, '-washing" 
is  employed;  and  Fulliihcer^e  for  " Baptist,^' except 
in  Luke  ix.  19,  where  the  Latin  word  Bapiistam 


APPENDIX.  201 

is  retained.  la  Mark  vii.  4,  and  Luke  ix.  38,  the 
verb  ^ciTTTiXcoj  used  in  reference  to  Jewish  ablu_ 
tions,  is  translated  by  a]?pean,  "  to  wash,"  the  same 
root  as  the  noun  already  quoted.  a]?pe5ene.  "With 
regard  to  this  version,  Dr.  Henderson  says :  "  In 
giving  dijppan  as  the  Anglo-Saxon  word  for  dip^ 
Junius,  as  quoted  by  Mr.  Greenfield,  is  perfectly 
correct ;  but  the  reader  must  not  suffer  himself  to 
be  misled  into  the  belief  that  it  is  used  in  reference 
to  baptism.  It  is  never  thus  used  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament." Dr.  Henderson's  desire  to  make  a  strong 
assertion  seems  to  have  led  him  into  an  error  in  this 
instance,  which  a  reference  to  Lye's  Anglo-Saxon 
Dictionary  might  have  prevented.  The  statement 
is  certainly  true  in  respect  to  Marshall's  edition  ; 
and  may  probably  be  correct  as  regards  those  of 
Parker  and  Lisle,  the  only  other  editors  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  Gospels.  But  it  is  not  to  be  received 
in  the  unqualifi.ed  manner  in  which  Dr.  Henderson 
makes  it.  The  verb  dyppan^  as  well  as  depart^ 
a  varied  form  of  the  same  word,  is  used  in  refer- 
ence to  baptism  in  Anglo-Saxon  MSS.  of  the  Gos- 
pels ;  as  the  following  extracts  from  Lye's  Diction- 
ary* will  show : — 

"  Depan^  To  dip,  Baptizare  ;  R.  Matt.  iii.  11.  C. 
Luc.  xvi.  24.     Vid.  DyppanP 

"  Dyppan,  To  dip,     Immergere,  baptizare  ;  R. 
Matt.  iii.  IL  xxviii.  19.     Tingere;  Lev.  iv.  19.'' 

*  Dictionarium  Saxonico  et  Gothico-Latinum ;  auctore  Ed.  Lye, 
A.  M.  Edidit  Owen  Manning,  2  torn.  fol.     Lond,  1772. 

18 


202  APPENDIX. 

The  letters  R.  and  C.  refer  to  the  MSS.  from 
which  the  quotations  are  made :  the  first  being  a 
manuscript  copy  of  the  Gospels  preserved  in  the 
Bodleian  Library,  "  exemplar  Rushworthianum  ;" 
the  other,  one  in  the  Public  Library  at  Cambridge, 
•'  exemplar  Cantabrigiense." 

We  find,  then,  that  the  word  dyppan  was  used 
in  the  Anglo-Saxon  translation  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment :  and  we  need  not  inquire  further  respecting 
the  meaning  of  the  word,  since  it  is  on  all  hands 
admitted  that  it  is  the  same  word  as  our  modern 
English  dip^  and  bore  the  same  meaning.  Even 
Dr.  Henderson  agrees  that  to  give  dyppan^  as  the 
Anglo-Saxon  word  for  dip^  is  "  perfectly  correct." 

LATIN. 

We  have  evidence  of  the  existence  of  Latin 
translations  of  the  New  Testament  as  early  as  the 
close  of  the  second  century,  from  the  fact  that  Ter- 
tullian  speaks  of  such  versions  in  a  manner  which 
shows  that  they  were  in  common  use  when  he  wrote 
against  Marcion  (A.  D.  207.*)  It  has  moreover  been 
proved  by  Semler.t  that  Tertullian  quotes,  not  from 
the  Greek,  but  from  a  Latin  translation.  No  Latin 
version  extant,  however,  can  be  traced  to  so  early  a 

♦  Adv.  Marcion.  lib.  ii.  c.  9.  "  quidam  de  Graeco  interpretantes.^' 
Lib.  V.  c.  4.  "  sicutinvenimus  interpretatum.^^  See  also  De  Monog. 
c.  11.  and  Adv.  Praxeam.  c.  5. 

■t  Appendix  to  Wetstein's  Prolegomena,  quoted  by  Marsh :  and 
the  Dissertation  in  his  edit,  of  Tertullian,  Hal.  1773.  T.  5.  p.  230, 
seqq. 


APPENDIX,  203 

period  ;  and  with  regard  to  the  point  in  question 
there  is  a  remarkable  difference  between  the  ver- 
sions employed  by  the  early  Fathers  and  all  which 
are  at  present  known.  Not  only  the  authorized 
Vulgate,  but  all  the  Latin  MSS.  which  have  been 
published,  uniformly,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to 
ascertain,  employ  the  Latinized  Greek  word  hap- 
tizo.  In  all  the  passages,  however,  quoted  by  Ter- 
tullian,  except  one,  the  verb  tingo  is  used  as  the 
translation  of  §a7zti^(o.  The  exception  is  1  Cor.  xv* 
29 ;  which  is  referred  to  on  one  occasion,*  and  dis- 
tinctly quoted  on  another,!  with  the  word  baptizo. 
Tertullian  wrote  a  treatise  on  baptism  with  the  title 
De  Baptismo  ;  but  it  is  remarkable  that  the  verb 
baptizo  does  not  once  occur  in  it :  tingo  is  the 
verb  constantly  employed  ;  and  not  only  in  this 
treatise,  but  throughout  his  writings,  ti?igo,  occa- 
sionally Qnergo  or  mergito.  are  the  verbs  generally 
used :  the  common  designations  of  baptism,  on  the 
other  hand,  are  baptismus  and  haptisma^  occa- 
sionally intinctio  ;l  and  the  Baptist  is  called  Bapti- 
zator.  The  treatises  in  which  the  quotation  con- 
taining  the  word  baptizo  occurs  are  probably  of  a 
later  date  than  that  De  Bap)tismo.  These  facts 
show  that  the  nouns  were  in  use,  as  Latin  words, 
throughout  the  period  of  Tertuliian's  writings, 
whilst  it  was  only  during  the  course  of  that  time 
that  the  verb  was  Latinized.     It  is  to  a  later  period 

*  De  resurrectione  carnis,  c.  48, 
+  Adv.  Marcion.  lib.  v.  c.  10.         • 
X  De  pcenitentia,  c.  2,  &  6. 


204  APPENDIX. 

Still  that  we  must  refer  the  general  acceptance  of 
this  verb  as  the  recognised  equivalent  for  the  Greek 
word.  Cyprian  wrote  about  forty  years  after  Ter- 
tuUian  :  in  his  quotations,  the  word  generally  em- 
ployed is  haptizo :  tiiigo  is  used  four  or  five  times 
in  quoting  two  passages.  Matt,  xxviii.  19,*  and  Gal. 
iii.  27.t  In  his  own  writing,  the  verb  haptizo  is 
of  very  frequent  occurrence.  From  this  period 
(about  A.  D.  250)  down  to  the  present,  the  Latiniz- 
ed word,  which  thus  gradually  supplanted  the  na- 
tive term,  has  continued  to  be  the  recognised  eccle- 
siastical verb  to  express  the  Christian  rite  ;  and  has 
not  only  been  employed  in  all  Church  translations 
into  the  Latin,  but  is  the  word  most  frequently 
found  in  the  writings  of  the  Latin  Fathers.  Still, 
such  words  as  tingo^  mergo^  tnergito^  demergo 
occur  as  synonyms  of  haptizo^  as  late,  at  least,  as 
the  fifth  century.t 

We  see,  then,  that  the  nouns  became  Latin  words 
at  a  considerably  earlier  period  than  the  verb  did  ; 
but  that,  still,  no  very  long  time  elapsed  before  the 
verb  also  was  transplanted  in  the  Latin  language 
as  the  peculiar  designation  of  the  Christian  rite,  in 

*  Ep.  xxvii.  3.  and  xxviii.  2.  Adv.  Jud.  lib.  ii.  c.  27  :  baptizo  is 
used  in  quoting  the  same  passage.  Ep.  Ixxiii.  5  (var.  lect.  tingo  ;) 
Ixxiii.  15.  Ixxiv.  2. 

t  Ep.  Ixxv.  11  ;  haptizo  Ixii.  2. 

X  Suiceri  Thesaurus  Eccles.  sub  voce,  ava^ioi  et  Panrt^cj.  He 
gives  quotations  from  Tertullian  (adv.  Prax.  c.  26.  iingo ;)  Ambrose 
(De  Sacramentis,  lib.  ii.  c.  7.  mergo ;)  Jerome  (adv.  Lucif.  mer- 
gito;)  Augustine  (as  cited  by  Gratianus  in  the  12th  century,  de- 
viergo.) 


APPENDIX.  205 

conformity  with  the  constant  tendency  of  the  Ro- 
man Church  to  regard  as  sacred  the  terms  by  which 
sacred  thinors  were  desimiated.     The  meaning:  of 

DO  O 

the  words  was,  however,  all  this  while  well  under- 
stood, and  considered  to  be  synonymous  with  the 
words  mentioned  above,  which  unquestionably 
mean  immerse.  We  are  not  now  inquiring,  let  it 
be  remembered,  whether  this  be  the  correct  mean- 
ing of  the  Greek  word  ^aTzriXca,  in  reference  to  the 
Christian  ordinance,  but  merely  endeavouring  to 
ascertain  what  is  the  meaning  of  the  Latin  term  de- 
rived from  the  Greek  ;  and  we  find,  if  the  Latin 
Fathers  are  to  be  taken  as  authorities,  that  this 
meaning  was  the  same  with  tingo,  mergo.  The 
Latin  Version  must  then,  in  all  fairness,  be  added 
to  the  number  of  those  which  render  ^anri^ca  by  a 
word  signifying  immerse. 

It  will  be  quite  apparent,  from  what  has  been  al- 
ready said,  that  the  employment  of  the  word  hap- 
tizo,  in  the  Latin  tranylation,  is  a  very  different 
thing  from  what  has  of  late  been  called  transfer- 
ence.— Transference,  according  to  the  modern  use 
of  the  term,  as  distinguished  from  translation,  is 
giving  the  sound  of  the  original  word,  instead  of 
the  idea  conveyed  by  it.  Instead  of  giving  a  word, 
or  combination  of  letters,  in  the  one  language,  cor- 
responding in  idea  with  a  certain  combination  in 
the  other,  the  identical  combination,  with  some  ter- 
minal or  other  modification  to  suit  the  genius  of 
the  new  language  is  transferred  into  it,  but  without 
any  idea.  In  fact,  he  who  tranfers. 
IS* 


206  APPENDIX. 

makes  the  word.  If  the  word  be  already  in  exist- 
ence in  both  languages,  and  convey  to  the  mind  oi 
the  reader  the  same  idea,  the  use  of  the  word  is  to 
be  regarded  as  translation,  not  transference.  The 
word  is  common  to  both  languages  ;  and  it  is  plainly 
of  no  importance  to  inquire  how  it  came  to  be  soj 
if  only  such  is  the  fact  when  the  translation  is 
made.  Thus  we  should  give  a  translation  of  the 
Greek  words  anoGtoloQi  ayyelog,  t7ii<jto7.rj,  by  the 
corresponding  Latin  words  apostolus,  angelus, 
epistola  ;  and  so  of  innumerable  others.  If,  how- 
ever, we  were  to  render  KvQianov  Mnvov^  the 
phrase  by  which  Paul  designates  "  the  Lord's  Sap- 
per," by  Cyriacutn  deipnum^  we  should  transfer? 
not  translate.  In  this  way,  haptizo  was  a  transla- 
tion of  the  Greek  word  when  used  in  the  Latin 
translation,  having  at  that  time  acquired  a  definite 
meaning,  and  conveying  an  idea  to  the  mind  of  the 
Latin  reader.  Whether  it  were  the  correct  idea  or 
not,  is  a  point  with  which  we  have  at  present  no 
concern.  It  is  true,  this  may  still  be  termed  trans- 
ference, the  word  having  been  originally  Greek  ; 
but  it  is  not  transference  in  the  sense  in  which  that 
word  has  of  late  been  employed,  where  the  very 
object  proposed  is  to  convey  no  idea. 

We  should  fully  expect  to  find  the  Latin  word 
haptizo  in  the  languages  which  were  derived  from 
the  Latin  ;  and,  accordingly,  the  French,  Italian, 
Spanish,  Portuguese,  and  other  modern  versions  in 
the  languages  of  Europe,  employ  this  term. 

There  is  not  precisely  the  sam.e  reason  to  expect 


APPENDIX.  207 

the  employment  of  the  word  in   English,  because 
the  language  is  but  in  part  derived  from  this  source. 
And  in  point  of  fact,  we  find,  that  though  the  word 
baptize  has  now  become  as  completely  the  English 
word  for  the  Christian  rite  as  baptizo  is  the  Latin 
term,  yet  in  the  earliest  translations  it  was  not  so. 
In  the  Anglo-Saxon  period  we  have  seen  that  the 
words  fullian  and  dyppan  were  used.     Wicklif, 
three  or  four  centuries  later,  translates  §a7itiXco,  in 
several  instances,  by  wash*,  once  by  christen.j   The 
following  example  will  moreover  show,  that  he  uses 
the  two  words,  wash  and  baptize,  in  such  a  way  as 
to  show  that  he  considered  them  to  be  synonymous  ; 
—Mark  x.  38,  39  ;  "  Moun  ye  drinke  the  cuppe 
whiche  I  schal  drynke  or  be  waischen  with  the 
baptym  in  which  I  am  baptisid,  and  they  seiden  to 
him  we  moun :  and  Jhesus  seide  to  hem,  ye  schulen 
drinke  the  cuppe  that  I  drinke  and  ye  schulen  be 
waischen  with  the  baptym  in  which  I  am  bap- 
tisid." 

This  use  of  the  word  by  Wicklif  is  valuable  for 
our  present  purpose,  inasmuch  as  it  furnishes^  with 
respect  to  the  English  word,  the  same  kind  of  evi- 
dence which  has  been  already  adduced  in  regard  to 
the  Latin,  of  its  being,  when  it  was  used  in  a  trans- 
lation, a  recognised  English  word  with  a  known 
definite  meaning.  It  cannot  then  fairly  be  account- 
ed a  transferred  term  when  it  was  thus  used. 
Though  derived  in  English  from  the  Latin  and 

*  Matt.  iii.  6,  11 ;  Mark  vii.  4.  x.  38,  39  ;  Luke  xi.  33. 
]  Acts  xviii.  8. 


208  APPENDIX. 

primarily  from  the  Greek,  it  clearly  was  an  English 
word  equivalent  to  loash.  Since  the  time  of  Wick- 
lif  it  has  been,  as  far  as  I  am  aware,  the  only  term 
employed  for  the  Christian  rite  in  authorised  trans- 
lations of  the  New  Testament. 

The  versions  in  other  languages  of  the  British 
Isles  deserve  a  few  words  ;  though  no  satisfactory 
result  can  perhaps  be  attained  from  an  examination 
of  them.  The  Welsh  translate  §a7Z7iX(o  by  hedyd- 
dio,  the  Irish  by  haisdim^  and  the  Highland  branch 
of  the  Gaelic  by  a  word  similar  to  the  Irish.  The 
words  are  now  used  solely  for  baptism.  We  might 
imagine  that  all  the  words  had  been  formed  from 
the  Greek ;  though  the  resemblance  certainly  is  not 
such  as  to  lead  to  more  than  a  very  uncertain  con- 
jecture, should  any  one  be  disposed  to  adopt  it. 
The  Welsh  seems,  however,  to  be  connected  with 
the  word  Bad^  "  a  bath."  Bullet  gives  the  follow- 
ing account  of  the  word,  which  I  translate  from  the 
French  :* — 

"  Bedydd^  Baptism.  We  see  from  the  following 
article  that  it  signifies  '  bath,'  in  general.     See  Bad. 

^^  Bedyddfa^  Bath,  place  where  persons  wash 
themselves. 

"  Bedyddio,  to  baptize. 

"  Bad,  Bath,  pi.  hadon.  Bad  Teuton.  Ice- 
land. Runic,  Flemish.  Bath.  Eng.  Baeth  A. 
S.  Baden  Germ.  Bata  Chald.  bath.  Baa^  bath 
in  Iceland,  and  Swed.  according  to  Rudbeck.    See 

*  Bullet  Memoires  sur  la  Langue  Celtique,  3  torn.  fol.  1759.  Dic- 
tionnaire  Celtique,  sub  voce. 


APPENDIX.  209 

Bad  water.     It  is  the  same  word  as  Bodd  ;  a  and 
0  being  interchangeable." 

In  Irish  there  seems  to  be  the  same  connexion  as 
in  the  Welsh  between  the  word  for  '  baptism'  and 
the  noun  signifying  '  water  :' — 

'•'  Bais,  River-water. 

"  Baisde^  baptism,  to  baptize.'"* 

Shaw,  in  his  Gaelic  Dictionary,  gives, 
'•  Baisdadh,  Baptism,  rain. 
"  Baisdeam,  to  baptize,  to  dip." 

We  have  now  gone  through  all  the  ancient  ver- 
sions which  have  been  published  ;  and  noticed 
many  modern  ones  in  the  course  of  our  examina- 
tion. 

The  conclusions  to  which  the  investigaion  leads 
us,  are, 

1.  With  regard  to  the  ancient  versions,  in  all  of 
them,  with  three  exceptions  (viz.  the  Latin  from  the 
third  century,  and  the  Sahidic  and  Basmuric,)  the 
word  §a7ZTiX(o  is  translated  by  words  purely  native  ; 
and  the  three  excepted  versions  adopted  the  Greek 
word,  not  by  way  of  transference,  but  in  conse- 
quence of  the  terra  having  become  current  in  the 
lanofuao^es. 

Of  native  words  employed,  the  Syriac,  Arabic, 
Ethiopic,  Coptic,  Armenian,  Gothic,  and  earliest 
Latin,  all  signify  to  immerse  :  the  Anglo-Saxon, 

*  Bullet  Memoires  sur  la  Langue  Celtique,  3  torn.  fol.  1759.  Dic- 
tionnaire  Celtique,  sub  voce. 


210  APPENDIX. 

both  to  immerse  and  to  cleanse ;  The  Persic,  to 
wash  ;  and  the  Slavonic  to  a^oss-  The  meaning 
of  the  word  adopted  from  the  Greek,  in  Sahidic, 
BasmuriCj  and  Latin,  being  also  to  immerse. 

2.  With  regard  to  the  modern  versions  examin- 
ed, the  Eastern  generally  adhere  to  the  ancient 
Eastern  Versions,  and  translate  by  words  signifying 
to  immerse.  Most  of  the  Gothic  dialects,  viz.  the 
German,  Swedish,  Dutch,  Danish,  &c.,  employ 
altered  forms  of  the  Gothic  word  signifying  to  dip. 
The  Icelandic  uses  a  word  meaning  cleanse.  The 
Slavic  dialects  follow  the  ancient  Slavonic ;  and 
the  languages  formed  from  the  Latin,  including 
the  English,  adopt  the  word  hajytizo  ;  though,  with 
respect  to  the  English,  the  words  ivash  and  christen 
were  formerly  used,  as  well  as  baptize. 

It  may  perhaps  be  acceptable  to  place  these  re" 
suits  together  in  a  tabular  form,  as  follows  : — 


APPENDIX 


211 


VERSION. 

DATE. 

WORD  EMPLOYED. 

MEANING. 

SYRIAC  : 

V 

Peshito 

2d  cent. 

r^ 

Philoxeniau 

6th  cent. 

immerse. 

ARABIC: 

"^^ 

Polyglott 

Propaganda 

Sabat 

7th  cent.  (?) 
1671 
1316 

txic?  i»j^ 

immerse. 

PERSIC: 

8th  cent.  (?) 

,^y^^^'>  .^tX-o;-^ 

wash. 

Modem  (JIartyn) 

1S5 

i^^M^ 

ablution. 

ETHIOPIC  ; 
Amharic 

4th  cent. 
1822 

Si<P^\ 

immerse. 

EGYPTIAN: 

Coptic 

3d  cent 

COJULC.            J 

immerse, 
plunge. 

Sahidie 
Basmuric 

2d  cent. 
3d  cent 

1     ^^.Tcfl^G 

ARMENIAN  : 

5th  cent. 

J^pinlri 

immerse. 

SLAVOKIC: 

9th  cent 

KpecTHTir 

cross. 

Russian 

15ia 

1 

Polish 

1585 

Bohemian 

1593 

1 

Lithuanian 

1660 

ythe  same  root. 

11 

Livonian,  or  Lettish 

1685 

! 

Dorpat  Estbonian 

1727 

J 

&c.  &c. 

GOTHIC  : 

4th  cent. 

daupjan 

dip. 

German 

1522 

taxifen 

" 

Danish 

1524 

dobe 

" 

Swedish 

1534 

dopa 

" 

Dutch 

&c.  &c. 
Icelandic 

1560 

doopen 

" 

1534 

skua 

cleanse. 

ANGLO-SAXON 

8th  cent. 

duppan,  fullian 

dip,  cleanse. 

LATIN  : 

Of  the  Early  Fathers 

2d  cent 

lingo 

immerse. 

Ante-Hieronymian 

3d  cent. 

baptizo 

Vulgate 

4th  cent 

" 

French 

1535 

haptiser 

Spanish 

1556 

bautizar 

Italian 

1562 

battezzare 

Ac.  &c 

English :  WickUf 

1380 

(  wash,  christen, 
\      baptize 

Tindal 

1526 

baptize 

Welsh 

1567 

bedyddio 

bathe. 

Irish 

1602 

baisdim 

Gaelic 

1767 

baisdeam. 

212  APPENDIX. 

Our  investigation,  then,  shows,  that  it  has  not 
been  the  practice  of  translators,  until  quite  recent 
times,  to  adopt  the  plan  of  "  transference"  in  re- 
spect to  the  word   ^anrl'Cco.     The  word  has  been 
translated,  in  most  instances,  by  a  term  strictly  na- 
tive ;  or  where  the  term  has  been  derived  from  the 
Greek,  it  appears  to  have  become  naturalized  in  the 
respective  languages  before    the    translation  was 
made.     There  is  no  instance,  until  of  late  years,  in 
which  it  can  be  shown  that  the  translators  inade 
the  word  ;  and  it  well  deserves  the  consideration  of 
all  who  are  engaged  in  translating,  or  disseminating 
translations  of  the   word  cf  God,  how  far  such  a 
plan   is  justifiable.     It  may  indeed  be  said,  that 
though  the  word  §a7zri^co  has  not  been  thus  trans, 
ferred,  other   words  have ;  and  that  thereby  the 
principle  of  transference  is  countenanced  by  former 
translators.     It  is  certain  that  such  words,  as  pro- 
per names,  and  designations  of  things  which  are 
not  known,  and  therefore  have  no  word  by  which 
they  can   be  expressed,  must  be  so  rendered ;  but 
what  proof  is  there  of  translators,  in  general,  car- 
rying transference  further  than  this  ?     Let  it  be  re- 
membered, that  the  Greek  language   was   closely 
united  to  the  Latin,  to  which  the  appeal  has  been 
frequently  made  ;  and  that  on  this  account  Greek 
words   were   continually  naturalized  in  it.     Such 
words  we  may  expect  to  meet  with  ;  but  to  prove 
that  translators  transferred  words  in  the  modern 
sense  of  the  term,  it  must  be  shown  that  words,  the 
meaning  of  which  might  have  been  expressed  in 


APPENDIX.  213 

the  language,  were  given,  not  only  by  terms  derived 
from  the  Greek,  but  without  meaning : — being  made 
for  the  occasion,  and  purposely  left  without  defini- 
tion. It  will  not  surely  be  said  that  the  word 
P«.T7ttco  has  no  meaning, — that  a  command,  in volv- 
hig,  as  most  Christians  believe,  a  thing  to  be  done 
by  or  for  every  disciple,  yet  conveys  no  definite 
idea  of  what  is  to  be  done.  We  are  not  now  in- 
quiring what  that  meaning  is  :  every  one  who  at- 
tempts to  translate  the  word  of  God  is  bound  to 
judge  for  himself  on  that  point.  Let  him  so  judge, 
and  give  the  result  of  his  judgment. 

The  author  may  be  allowed,  in  parting  with  those 
who  have  thought  worth  while  to  give  him  a  hear- 
ing, to  repeat  what  he  said  at  the  commencement, — 
that  his  object  has  been  to  ascertain  the  truth,  not 
to  further  the  views  of  any  party.  If  his  state- 
ments (which  he  has  with  great  care  endeavoured 
to  make  correct)  should  in  any  particulars  be  found 
to  be  erroneous,  he  will  thankfully  receive  better  in- 
formation. Until,  however,  such  errors  are  shown, 
he  feels  warranted  in  requesting  those  readers,  who 
have  not  the  means  or  information  to  attempt  an 
examination  of  the  versions,  to  receive  as  correct 
the  statement  of  facts  which  he  makes,  and  to 
judge  fairly  of  the  inferences  deduced  from  them. 

Finally,  he  must  protest  against  its  being  sup- 
posed, that  in  adducing  the  authority  of  the  differ- 
ent versions,  his  object  is  to  make  them  the  ultimate 
standard  of  appeal,  either  on  this  or  on  any  other 
subject.  His  intention,  in  presenting  their  evidence 
19 


214  APPENDIX. 

in  what  he  conceives  to  be  a  correct  light,  is  rather, 
to  bring  these  human  authorities  to  bear  testimony 
to  the  supreme  regard  which  should  be  paid  to  the 
truth  of  God  irrespective  of  the  opinions  and  prac- 
tices of  men.  And  if  the  result  of  his  labours 
should  be  to  create  in  any  instance  a  more  profound 
reverence  for  God's  word,  and  less  reliance  on  hu- 
man authority  and  opinion,  he  will  feel  that  many 
toilsome  hours  of  research  have  been  amply  repaid. 


THE    END. 


